


It's Time to Live

by LadyCassie



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Caroline Is An Original, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-05
Updated: 2017-02-06
Packaged: 2018-09-22 07:42:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 51,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9592562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyCassie/pseuds/LadyCassie
Summary: Caroline has turned with the Mikaelson family a thousand years ago. She leaves them soon after turning, but now she's back. Just who is it she's returned for and who will she choose.





	1. Chapter 1

_**I do not own any of the** _ **_characters_ **

* * *

She always wondered if it was the same for everyone. Even after a thousand years, how could the memory of one person still bring about such a strong emotion. To Caroline Forbes, Henrik Mikaelson had been much more than her best friend growing up, he'd been her soul mate, of that she was sure. Would they have been married? she would never know but, one thing she knew was that even a thousand years later, Henrik was still the only one she could ever say she truly called friend.

Growing up in a little village, they had been bound to meet and had been born just days apart from each other. "It's fate". Esther Mikaelson had once told them, when she had come across the two together. When her parents had been killed by wolves, it was Mikael who took her into his household. It was the year of their seventeenth birthday that everything changed.

Henrik alongside Niklaus went to see the werewolves transform under the full moon. When he had told Caroline of his foolish plan, she had pleaded that he not go,to which he made her a promised that he would not. Deep within the caves the family slept, unaware of what was to come the following morning. Upon awaking she had known, her friend was no longer of this earth and when Niklaus arrived back holding body of Henrik, she'd fallen to her knees in despair.

It was on the day of her birth that Henrik's funnel took place. Standing with the family and watching as the funeral pyre was lit was a day Caroline would never forget.

"Girl!" Mikael stood in the doorway of the room she shared with Rebekah. "It's time." He'd told before walking away. Standing she followed after him until they stood together. She caught Niklaus standing off to the side, not quite standing alongside his family. "If you have anything to say to him, do it now." Mikael spoke. Looking up at him she noticed his eye's stayed fixed on where Henrik was laid before them.

She glanced at the other's, yet none moved and she took that as her cue to walk forward. She could feel their burning eye's on her back, the weight bearing down upon her. Looking at Henrik now, laid out before her eye's, she knew it was time to say goodbye.

Reaching out she placed her hand across his own that were folded on his chest. His face had lost its glow of life and the coldness that linger on his skin was one she had never felt before, this wasn't her friend. Henrik had glowed with life and was the warmth she reached for in winter.

"No matter how much time pass's, you will always be in my heart." She vowed to him and then had placed a lingering kiss upon his cheek before stepping back. No sooner had she stepped back into line had Mikael stepped forward and lit the pyre.

"May the Gods welcome you my son." Mikael's voice reached her ears as he stepped back into place beside her.

Esther and Rebekah stood embracing each other as they let their tears fall freely. Finn, Elijah and Kol stood together watching on silently and Niklaus, he stood alone watching. As if he felt her eye's upon him he turned slightly and locked eye's with her.

Caroline couldn't help but wonder if her own eye's looked as lost as those of Niklaus's. He had been the closest to Henrik other than herself and yet, even knowing this she couldn't bring herself to comfort him. A hand on her shoulder turned her attention make to Mikael.

"It's time to return home." Mikael told nodding towards where the other's had gathered together.

Looking at the pyre burning strongly she shook her head. "I'd like to stay till the end, if it's agreeable with you Sir?" She asked, looking back up into the eye's of the force of nature that was Mikael Mikaelson. She could see in those eye's a fury like none before and she worried what the outcome would be for Niklaus.

"Very well, I shall come back for you after escorting my family home." He replied.

Looking back to the edge she noticed that Niklaus had left too and now she stood alone. The fire burned bright and the warmth of it burned the skin even from a distance, yet she welcomed this warmth as it would be the last warmth she would ever receive from Henrik.

When Mikael finally returned for her the entire day had passed, the sky had darkened and the crescent moon was slowly rising into the sky. The fire was nothing but a faint glow now flickering in and out of life. Hearing the footsteps approaching she stood to her feet having sat down some hours ago.

The walk back to the hut was done in silence and upon nearing the house she caught sight of Esther waiting for them. She stood just outside the front door under the lantern holding something in her hand. When they reached her, Caroline discovered in was a cup that Esther was holding. She thought at first it was meant for Mikael, but upon reaching Esther, the cup was pressed into her hands and it was then she understood in was for herself.

"Drink, you must be thirsty," Esther said, nodding for her to drink up.

Caroline thinking that this was Esther's way of comfort smiled and whispered a quiet. "Thank you." Before lifting the cup to her lips, swallowing the contents greedily. A content sigh escaped her when she finished the drink but, that content sigh turned into a gasp of horror when a sword was thrust through her chest.

Dropping the cup she turned her head slightly to see the cold eye's of Mikael looking back at her as he withdrew the sword. As she fell to the ground she didn't ask why? her only thoughts were that they would be reunited soon then she had thought. "Henrik." Would be the last word to leave her lips.

* * *

"Won't you join us?" Rebekah asked. A month had passed since they were turned into creatures of the night. So much had changed over such a short period of time. Henrik had died, Esther and Mikael had turned them into bloodthirsty monsters, Niklaus turned out to a wolf, Esther was murdered and Mikael was now hunting his children.

"My place is no longer within your family, It's time I find my own path." Rebekah nodded knowing that she could not sway Caroline's decision. "Maybe one day our paths will cross again."

"I'm sure fate will have us meet again." Rebekah replied. The two had become friends having shared a room for so long, It would be odd for Rebekah to not have the other girl around. Stepping forward she embraced Caroline, wanting to hold her close one last time before they parted ways. "Go now, before the other's realise what you are doing?" Rebekah urged ending the embrace.

Picking up her small pack Caroline took one last look at her friend. "I vow we shall meet again one day." Caroline said, and then vanished deep into the forest.

Rebekah would miss Caroline dearly, she couldn't remember life before Caroline had come to live with them. Life wouldn't be the same without her, but Caroline only reminded them that Henrik was gone and they only did the same for Caroline. Caroline would be just fine on her own, of that Rebekah was sure.

"Sister, our brother's are waiting." Finn said, appearing from behind. Taking a deep breath Rebekah turned and began the walk back to where the other's were waiting. "Where is Caroline." Finn asked looking around for the other blonde.

"She's will not be continuing on with us." She informed as they walked back together.

"Where is Caroline? does she not realise that we can't stay in the same place for long?" Klaus growled upon sight of only his Brother and Sister appearing.

When Rebekah didn't answer Finn took it upon himself to tell his Klaus just what had occurred. "Caroline will not be joining us again, She has decided to travel alone."

"Stupid girl, let Mikael find her, I don't care. We're not staying around here just to be caught and killed." Klaus growled out.

Rebekah watched as a sea of emotions flashed across her brother's eyes such as Hurt, betrayal, anger and confusion. She'd known her brother had felt something for Caroline but had never acted on those feeling on account of Henrik. She also knew that Klaus blamed himself for Henrik's death. She wondered if Caroline felt the same and Klaus was probably wondering the same.

What Rebekah hadn't been expecting was Kol's response. Her other brother looked on longingly towards the forest where they had just come from. Yes, Klaus had been closest to Henrik, but it had been Kol that Caroline would run too whenever she and Henrik came up with a new game to play. The two had become even closer since Henrik's death.

"A girl should not travel alone, I shall follow her and go with her on her travels." Kol volunteered and could only take a few steps before Klaus swung him around and pinned him to the nearest tree.

"You made a promise to me, you would dear go back on your word for that girl? That girl who is not even part of this family?" Klaus roared.

Without thinking Kol slammed against Klaus. "That girl's name is Caroline. She's Henrik's family which mean that she's my family too." Kol said before releasing Klaus.

Klaus stood rooted to his spot unable to form any words.

"Enough Kol," Elijah said, pulling Kol away. "Caroline has chosen to leave us, not the other way around, now stop this nonsense, we can't stay here any longer." There were no words spoken after that as they gathered what little they had and continued on their journey.

As they walked away Kol couldn't help but glance back one last time. Would they meet again? Would he even be able to find her? He smirked as he turned to follow the rest of his siblings, of one thing he was sure, Caroline was a lot stronger than any of his sibling knew.

* * *

**Mystic Falls**

**Gilbert** **house**

"Now!" Elena shouted urging Jeremy to finish the deed.

Bang

Jeremy gasped, clutching his chest not understanding what had happened. He had turned to face the open doorway, as he leaned against the table for support. Elena rushed to her brother's side and looked to see who had shot her brother.

There stood in the doorway was a beautiful blonde girl, her hair hung in curls around her face and her cornflower blue eye's stared at Elena with untold rage. The shotgun was still aimed on Jeremy, one wrong move and her brother would die Elena realised.

"If you so much as twitch, I'll make sure anything Niklaus ever did to you, seemed like a walk in the park." The blonde promised, setting her sights on Jeremy once again.

Out of the corner of her eye Elena watched in horror as Kol reached down to pick up the white oak stake. "No," She cried and was going to reach for it only to have the shotgun go off once again. This time Elena found a bullet laced with vervain though her throat.

"It's seems we'll have to finish our discussion another time." Kol grinned at Elena, mischief and mayhem gleaming in his eye's. Walking to the stunning blonde at the entrance he smiled a genuine smile, his eye's lighting up upon reaching said blonde's side. "Caroline!"

"We don't have time, Niklaus is on his way and I can not be here when he arrives." Caroline said, taking Kol by the hand, pulling him towards the forest and to where a car waited for them on one of the trails.

"Darling, what's going on?" Kol asked, reaching out to run his hand up and down Caroline's arm as she drove.

"I met a seer a while back, she owed me some favours." The car sped down the forest trail until it spun out onto the main road. "So imagine my surprise, when she contact me out of nowhere to inform me about the death of Finn and how his whole line had been wiped out with his death."

Kol glanced out the window as the drove past the welcome to Mythic Falls sign. "So this seer must have seen something happen? or else you wouldn't be on the same continent as Nik?"

Caroline smirked, "Well I was enjoying life in Spain not two days ago, when I got another call." On the highway they drove with the traffic, blending in, like they weren't racing to get away.

"What was it she saw?"

Caroline gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Your demise would have been set in stone had I not come for you. Where was your mind at Kol, you could have died."

His response is quick. "I was trying to make sure Silas wasn't raised."

She turns to glare at him, but he doesn't back down glaring right back. "You don't get it, do you?" She breaths a sigh. "I couldn't have done it."

"Done what?" He asks.

She pulls over, her head bowed hiding her face. Taking a deep breath she turns to face him and it's now he can see that her eye's are filled with tears, ready to spill at any moment. "If you died, I don't think I could handle it." She reached to hold his hand. "I've mourned Henrik for over a thousand years, do not make me mourn you too." She pleaded pressing his hand to her heart. "If you intend to die, then kill me now."

Reaching out he entangles his hand in her hair and pulls her forward till their foreheads are pressed together. "I'm going nowhere, darling." He doesn't give a damn if Nik's nearby, kissing Caroline is something he will always relish.

"Not here, he could be close behind." Looking over her shoulder, she glanced at the few cars on the almost empty highway.

"For a thousand years, I've had to keep you a secret, well no more." He lived with her in hiding for hundreds of years, only leaving whenever Nik got too close. Whenever Nik got to near, Kol would wreck havoc on towns until Nik had no choice but to turn away from where Caroline hid and follow Kol.

His beautiful Caroline has begun to fade in the beginning, but with time away from his messed up family she'd begun to glow bright once more. He'd treasured the days they spent together in the first of the many small house's they would build together. No matter how time passed, Caroline wanted a house built by her own hand and when he was around by his hand too.

"No more house's hidden in forest's, no more running from Nik, it's time to live." Kol was finally done.

"Are the paintings gone? the drawing finished? and even if we go back, whose to say he won't put us both in boxes."

Nik had never been one to forgive and he'd made his feeling for Caroline known almost days after having been turned. Back then Caroline hadn't denied or accepted his feeling. No one knew of the feeling Kol held for the blonde beauty, thou he suspected Rebekah might. 'He will find her Kol and when he does, I pray your over whatever it is you feel for her. For your sake and for her's.'

"The last thing I want is to pull you apart from your family, not when they have finally accepted you." She whispered so softly that even his vampire hearing barely picked it up.

"I love you." Kol whispered, running his fingers through her hair. "So don't leave me now."

She stiffened then looked deep into his eye's searching for any trace of a lie. "I love you too." She laughed a little at the confession. As she leaned in to kiss him a knock at the window made them pause.

"What about me, love?" Klaus asked from outside.

* * *

_**Thanks for reading** _


	2. Chapter 2

_**I do not own any of the** _ **_characters_ **

* * *

Klaus paced back and forth across the room. He'd stop and look at Caroline sitting against Kol's side and would sneer before continuing his pacing. "Betrayed by my own brother, who would have thought it." Klaus picked up his glass from the fireplace, sipping it while his stare remained focused on Caroline, who could not meet his gaze.

Kol groaned, tightening his arm around Caroline, trying to give her some comfort. "Don't go playing the victim Nik, we all know you're no victim."

"Oh do shut up Kol," Klaus snarled. "Nothing to say Caroline, a thousand years and this our big reunion."

Rebekah glanced between the three and stole a glance at Elijah to see his reaction. As usual her eldest brother didn't waste long before jumping into the conversation.

"Kol enough, I do believe Klaus and Caroline should speak alone," He held up a hand to silence Kol when he went to interrupt. "This is something only those two need to speak about."

Squeezing his hand, Caroline looked up at Kol and smiled faintly, trying to reassure him she's be okay. "It's fine, Elijah is right."

Kol looked like he wanted to object, but a nod from Caroline was all he needed. "Alright Darling." Pressing a kiss to her temple, he eased out of the sofa and glared at Klaus as he walked from the room, Elijah closing it once Rebekah and Kol had exited.

Klaus wasted no time in lighting some Sage so that no one else could hear them. Turning to face her, he noticed how even a thousand years later, she still remained the light of his life. He searched high and low for her, yet she's somehow remained hidden and all it had taken for her to come forth was to endanger Kol's life.

He took at step towards her and she looked up in alarm, their eye's meeting for the first time. "Are you really that afraid of me?"

She closed her eye's and forced herself to breath. Inhaling, she gathered what little courage she had in herself to tell him the truth. "I am."

Klaus took a step back, he looked like she had whipped him. "Do you really think that low of me?"

"Yes."

Klaus nodded his head slightly while looking at the floor. "I see." When he looked back up at her his eye's had hardened. "You somehow think Kol is better than me? That he's less a monster than I am?"

Of course she knew of the evils that Kol had done over the years. Loving Kol hurt, but from the moment he found her all those years ago, she'd known that he would have searched the earth for her, never giving up until he found her, such was their bond.

"I know exactly what Kol has done over the years." She said quietly, ashamed of herself for loving someone who could be so cruel but, love was never a choice.

"Then why him? Why not me?" Clenching her fists at her side, she remained silent under to answer him. "Do you still blame me then? Is that it?"

Her gaze snapped up, her eye's cold. "Don't go their Niklaus!" She warned.

He spread his arms out. "It's true? isn't it? The others believe it's true!"

"Stop!"

"You blame me, for what happened to him,"

"Stop it! Don't say it!"

"You thinks it's my fault Henrik died." He finally roared.

"I don't," She screamed, shocking Klaus enough for him to step back. "I tried, I really tried to blame you," Wrapping her arms around herself, Caroline wished Kol had stayed as the waves of sorrow washed over her. "I know it was him who convinced you to take him out that night and no matter how much I want too, I can never bring myself to blame you for what happened."

The door swings opens and Kol pushes past Elijah. "They've had enough time to talk, if your finally done Nik? Caroline and I have plans that are far away from here." Kol reminded, coming to stand next to Caroline. "What do you say we get out of here, Love?" He suggested holding out his hand.

She looked at the outheld hand, then looked up to meet Kol's gaze. He was offering her a way out, if she wanted Klaus all she need do was step away, but if she wanted Kol, she only needed to reach out and grasp his hand. Taking one last glance at Klaus, she reached out and grasped Kol's hand.

Stepping forward she pressed herself against his front and looked into brown eye's that had watched over her since the beginning. Kol, who whenever everyone else told her to get over Henrik's death, had told her to grieve as long as she needed too. Kol, who had chased her and Henrik throughout the forest as children, he'd been by her side through it all and it was time for her to do the same.

She would always love Henrik, no matter how much time passed but, it was Kol who she was in love with. Pushing the little voice of doubt away she gave her answer. "I'll go anywhere with you."

The surprise that flashed in his eye's was enough for Caroline to know that Kol hadn't thought she'd pick him. He'd been betrayed by his own family so many time, that he couldn't help but doubt Caroline as well and yet, Caroline had always been the one.

Klaus was looking at her in betrayal and Caroline couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze.

Standing pressed against her, Kol allowed his lips to hover over her own. "Our adventure awaits." He murmured against her lips before kissing her for the first time in over 200 years.

"You can't just leave," Rebekah said in alarm.

Pulling apart Kol looked at his sister, "And why would that be?"

"Please Caroline," Rebekah pleaded. "It's been so long. Stay a few days, so that we can catch up."

Caroline looked up at Kol hopefully."Kol?"

He went great lengths to exaggerate the sigh. "Well maybe a few days." The two girls squealed in excitement and Kol found himself being hugged by both blondes. "Okay, okay, get off me before someone thinks I've gone soft."

Giggles the girls let him go, but not before both planted a kiss on his cheeks. "Thanks Kol," Rebekah whispered hugging him quickly once more before she dragged Caroline from the room, mentioning something about them needing to catch up.

Alone in the room with his two older brother's Kol, began to doubt his decision to stick around.

* * *

**The Grill**

"He didn't?" Caroline said, generally surprised at what she was being told.

Rebekah snorted, "I'm telling you, It wouldn't surprise me if he rolled into bed with the newest one."

Taking a sip of her drink, Caroline huffed. "Doppelgänger's, when will they finally end."

Laughing Rebekah held up her glass, "To the end of the doppelgänger line."

"May we never have to see someone with that face again." Caroline raised her own glass and the two toasted.

"I'll drink to that." Rebekah smiled as the two drank, then her smile was wiped away. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Rebekah sneered.

Turning Caroline caught a glance of the girl herself. "I really don't see the appeal."

"You and me both." Rebekah agreed and within seconds the two were laughing. "It's good to have you here, I've missed you." Rebekah confessed, feeling bashful in front of the younger girl.

"And I you." Caroline had missed being in Rebekah's company. Though the two had changed vastly, they had always been good friends and that hadn't changed with time. "Now, tell me whose that blonde boy you've been watching since we arrived, do I detect a hint of love in the air."

Seeing Rebekah blush was like reliving their human years all over again. "I do like him," Caroline noticed the blush was gone now. "But he wants a normal life, something he could never have with me."

The happy, go lucky atmosphere was gone. "Now it's been a long time, but what is it he used to say?" Tapping her finger against her chin, she noted how Rebekah's full attention was back on her. "You can't just pick any man Rebekah, only the best for our sister." She tried to sound like Henrik.

The smile Caroline received was one filled with sorrow. "I miss him," It was a whisper, as though she was ashamed to say out loud. "And I feel horrid, because I have not thought of him in so long and I know you probably think of him everyday."

Caroline looked at the table top, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. "I swore to him, that no matter how much time passed, that'd I'd always keep him my heart," She revealed looking up at the other blonde. "I would like to think that I've fulfilled my vow and shall keep on fulfilling it, until the very end."

"That's her Damon, that's the girl that saved Kol." The two blonde's tuned their hearing so as to listen. "Who do you think she is?"

"Just another blonde groupie, nothing we can't take care of, Now onto better things like where's Matt with my bourbon."

"Damon! She almost killed Jeremy and she shot me in the throat!"

Rebekah smirked. "Pity you didn't kill her."

"Yes, a pity indeed but, I do believe this nice evening has turned a bit sour, how about we head back and see if the boy's have killed each other."

* * *

They had barely stepped in the house when Klaus appeared. "Caroline, , might I have a word?"

Rebekah looked at her brother, wondering just what he was up too. Seeing that Klaus wasn't going to take no for answer Rebekah took her leave. "I hope you know what your doing brother." She said before disappearing up the stairs.

Klaus ignored Rebekah's warning around held out his arm for Caroline to take. "Caroline."

Reaching out to link her arm through his arm felt right, and apart from herself said that she couldn't do this to Kol. "What is it you have to say to me?" She asked hoping to get away as soon as possible.

Klaus smirked sensing her discomfort and began walking towards their destination. "I've become quite the artist since I last saw you." He couldn't help but laugh when she rolled her eye's.

"Yes, I can see that." She observed, as she saw a painting of herself. It was magnificent, but she'd wouldn't tell him that, no need to inflate his ego anymore."I would have thought that'd you grown out of drawing me,Nik." The name rolled off her tongue without warning.

Klaus noticed the name change and couldn't help but smile. "A thousand years and I've found nothing that can compare to you in terms of beauty." Klaus confessed and enjoyed the flush that spread across her skin. "It's this room here love." He remembered, having almost passed the room. "If you'd do me the pleasure of keeping your eye's closed."

Caroline quirked a eyebrow, "Just what are you up to too." She inquired, hoping that what lay beyond this door wasn't a coffin and a dagger waiting just for her. Then she wondered where Kol had gotten too, was he already daggered.

"Don't look so scared, love. I promise you that what lays behind this door isn't a dagger or Kol daggered. Not that I'm not tempted to do so." He confessed.

Taking a deep breath she decided that she would trust him, and if what waited was a dagger to the heart, then she could only blame her heart. Closing her eye's, she let Nik lead her to her fate and whatever awaited her behind those closed doors.

* * *

_**Thanks for reading** _


	3. Chapter 3

_**I do not own any of the** _ **_characters_ **

* * *

The door was opened and Caroline allowed Klaus to lead her forward. The tension wasn't easing at all, and she desperately wanted to open her eye. Yet, at the same time, she could remember Klaus doing this when she and Henrik were children and him showing them places that he found while out exploring.

"Keep your eye's shut love, not just yet." Klaus implored, as he stood her in what he thought was the perfect spot. "Okay, now." No sooner had he spoke did her eye's open.

What stood before her left her breathless and she found herself speechless as she looked to Klaus. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, till she just gave up on words. Walking forward she gazed upon the magnificent painting in all its glory.

"You did this, for me?" She croaked, her throat tight and her eye's watering. She reached out to touch the painting, her fingertips feeling each stroke that he had made.

"It's always been for you, Caroline," Klaus confessed, brushing his hand across her cheek.

Caroline looked into his eye's and saw the truth in his words. Turning back, she faced the painting and tried to take in every detail.

The painting depicted two young teens, sitting side by side along a river bank. Two blondes, one a boy and the other a girl. They were frozen in mid-laugh and looked like they hadn't a care in the world. Henrik, the boy in the painting was Henrik. His face young and boy-like stared out of the painting at her and the girl at his side was none other than herself.

"I always picture him like this." She revealed, her fingers ghosting over Henrik's image. "Young, innocent and like Peter Pan, he will never grow up."

Klaus watched her closely, taking in every detail of Caroline. For a thousand years he'd longed for Caroline and now that she was here, he'd drink his fill. "And were you his Wendy bird?" He Joked.

Caroline stole a glance at him before returning to the painting. "Once," She corrected sadly. "Like Wendy, I returned the world of man and can no longer go to where it is Peter has gone." In Caroline's case, she had been brought back to life as a vampire and even if she could die, she wouldn't be able to go to where Henrik had gone.

"If there was any way to bring him back, you have to believe that I'd do it?" Klaus entangled his hand in her hair so that she had no choice but to look at him. Blue eye's clashed and Klaus felt his heart ache from the pain he saw inside her eye's.

"I know," She admitted. "But I'd never ask him to grow old for me." She declared. "He never wanted to be a man, and now he shall be forever a boy," Caroline admitted, finally the sorrow became too much and she allowed herself to cry into Klaus's chest.

Unbeknown to her Kol had witnessed it all from the open doorway.

* * *

Hours had passed since she'd first entered the room. Klaus had left some hours ago, not that he hadn't tried to stay. Caroline was thankful that he understood that she needed some time alone and the last few hours were spent alone and in silence.

Looking at Henrik made her wish she could have stayed a child alongside him. Life, even though it had been hard, had been free of all the problems she now faced. As a girl, running alongside Henrik, she'd seen a future where the two of them would marry and have a family of their own. As a teen things had changed, she began to notice how Kol and Niklaus looked at her and how Henrik was trying his hardest not to grow up into the man his father was trying to make him. She'd tried to stay a girl alongside Henrik, but girls always did become women much sooner the boys became men.

"Caroline?" Elijah had come join her.

"I was so sure of my path, but just a few hours ago and now,"She sighed, "I feel so lost, more than I've ever felt before." She offered to his unspoken question.

"You know a girl got between Niklaus and me many years ago," Elijah mentioned. "Don't do the same to him and Kol."

"It's odd, Rebekah and I spoke but hours ago about said women, and now I'm just like that them." She was appalled at herself.

"The question isn't whether your like the Petrova's, but are you going to follow in their footsteps and string two brothers along," Elijah questioned, and Caroline could see that he wanted nothing more than for her to be gone once more.

"I bet you wish you could dagger me and make all this just go away?" She offered and when she received no answer she knew it to be true. "I never wanted this Elijah, had Niklaus not found us as we were leaving, you would have never seen me or Kol likely again."

"You think that Kol really feels something for you?"

Caroline glared at him for making such a comment. "You always think the lowest of him," She snarled. "You've never taken the time to even get to know him." Elijah continued to not answer. "It time you realize you have more then one brother, and if you haven't noticed Kol almost died. He would have been gone, just like Finn, but then again I can't really see you caring." Caroline sneered.

The other's must have heard because Rebekah was suddenly in the room between the two of them. "I think it's time you leave Caroline alone," Rebekah advised, "Before Kol or Nik come to see just what's going on."

Heeding his sister's words Elijah left, not sparing another look at Caroline. Clearly, she had hit a nerve, and she couldn't help but flip him the bird as he left. He had always been her least favorite person within the Mikaelson family, not even Mikael could claim first place.

"I need to get out of here," Caroline blurted, before flashing from the house and out into the surrounding woods.

She ran and ran until she came upon the falls, finally, she could breathe in peace. The rushing of the falls was oddly comforting reminding her of her human years. She couldn't hep but remember all the time Henrik and her had spent playing here together.

A memory that had long been forgotten resurfaced. Walking to the nearest tree, she began taking steps counting in her mind, hoping that it led her to the exact spot she was looking to find. When she thought that she had counted the right amount of steps she dropped to the ground and began to dig.

Years ago she wouldn't have had to dig as deep as she was now, but with time the layers of earth had built up and if anything was buried it would be deeper than normal. She spent the good part of an hour digging, her fingers bloodied from pulling the earth apart, Then after almost giving up hope, she felt it. A small leather bag that had held together, even after all these years.

As humans Henrik and her had come up with a sort of game to leave their birthday presents hidden in the forest for them to dig up on the day. Holding the leather bag, she wondered what had been left inside. Tentatively opening the bag she allowed the content of the bag to slip out into her hand.

Caroline couldn't contain the giggle that fell from her lips, "I remember this," She snickered. Henrik had made a set of leather cuffs, he only wore one the last time Caroline had seen him, telling her the other one had been lost somehow. "I should have known." She laughed.

Slipping the cuff on it fit her perfectly. It hadn't been affected by time, as it had been protected while inside the bag. The markings had been done in great detail and she let her fingers rub over each detail, feeling where it dipped. The leather smelled old, but hints of who could only be Henrik lingered on the leather. Twisting the cuff she felt something on the inside and slipped the cuff off to see what it was.

Writing? Looking closely, she read what it said. 'For the girl, who has been my sun.' Henrik's voice rang out in her mind. "For the boy, who has been my moon." She recited, the words falling from her lips.

The sound of twigs snapping in the distance caught her attention. Slipping the cuff back onto her wrist she set out to see who it was that was wandering the forest at such a late hour. A male figure appeared in her line of sight and she watched as he savagely bit into what appeared to be a small animal.

"What are you doing?" She voiced, causing the man to turn in fright. "Andrew?" She questioned stepping towards him.

"No, I'm afraid you have me mistaken with someone else." The man claimed, but Caroline didn't believe him. "My name is Stefan, Stefan Salvatore." Now it was Stefan's turn to question her. "And just who are you?"

"Stefan Salvatore," Caroline acknowledged that this man was not Andrew after all, Andrew had been dead close to 700 years. Yet part of her wondered how this Stefan Salvatore could look exactly the same as her friend. It wasn't every day you can across someone with the exact same features and voice as someone who years died years ago. "My name's Caroline."

Suddenly Stefan was cupping her face,"Caroline, you're going to forget ever meeting me here, you'll go back to wherever it is you call home and never venture into the woods at night again." He compelled looking deeply into her eye's.

"It was nice of you to let me go, but I don't take well to the killing of animals." She said, before snapping his neck and letting him fall to the ground.

Stepping over the now dead vampire, she decided she needed to speak to Kol. It appeared that there was a second doppelgänger line and from what she's learned about her own experience with Petrova line, no good ever came from someone born with the same face throughout time.

* * *

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	4. Chapter 4

_**I do not own any of the** _ **_characters_ **

* * *

The Mikaelson mansion was in utter chaos when she arrived back. It was no longer just the family, but the latest doppelgänger was there, along with the man she's been with at the bar.

"We need to complete the mark and the only way to do that is to have little Gilbert kill as many vampires as possible." She heard the man voice.

"You tried to kill my brother! What makes you think I won't kill you both now?" She heard Klaus question.

"Because if Elena takes the cure, you can make all the hybrids you want once again." She heard about how Klaus had broken his curse and had made others like himself. She now knows that the rumor's she'd heard were, in fact, true. "Beside's, It's not like any of you would actually care if Kol died."

She sped into the room, her hand finding its way to the man's heart. "Say another word and you'll find yourself without heart." She promised, tugging at his heart slightly, to show just how serious she was about going through with the act. "Go on, I dare you!"

"Damon!" The doppelgänger cried before she found herself being held back by Kol. His arms wrapped around in what could be considered a lovers embrace if it wasn't for the killing intent he was giving off.

"I wouldn't do that darling," Kol joked, tightening his hold when she struggled.

"Stop it! you'll kill him!" Elena cried, unable to do anything to get out of Kol's hold.

"Doppelgänger's," Caroline sneered looking over Damon's shoulder to see the girl. "Is it just me, or do they seem to get more stupid each time another is born?"

"Can't help but agree with you there, darling." They shared a smile before Caroline got ready to pull Damon heart out slowly and painfully.

Klaus clasped his hand around Caroline's shoulder drawing her attention. "No need to kill him, love, he still holds some use."

Caroline looked at him in shock, not believe what was happening right before her very own eyes. Klaus was sparing someone who had tried to kill Kol if it had been either Elijah or Rebekah she knew the outcome would be so much different.

Releasing Damon's heart, she watched him fall to the floor and she stepped back away from the two with a sneer. Klaus seeing the look reached for her, but she slapped his hand away and flashed to Kol's side as he released the Doppelgänger.

"Caroline?" Klaus faltered, unsure of why she had looked at him with so much disgust.

"You speak of how we betrayed you, but the only betrayer I see in our mist is you!" Caroline announced, "You bring the people who tried to kill your brother into your home and offer them drinks?" She shook her head and reached for Kol's hand. "Kol is my only family" Kol smiled at her words. "Anyone who lays a hand on him is my enemy. I will destroy them all and that includes you as well, Klaus."

Kol had never felt more proud of Caroline then he did in that moment. To stand up to Nik, who she'd hidden from all these years, must have taken a lot of courage. His girl had gained a back bone since he'd last seen her. Tugging at her hand to get her attention. "I take it, we won't be staying like you planned?" He asked.

"No, we have overstayed our welcome," Caroline stated taking one last look at Klaus. "Let's go."

Kol looked at Klaus, as he'd known Elijah and Rebekah stood behind him, ever the fateful sibling to Klaus. Elijah looked pleased to see them go while Rebekah couldn't meet either his or Caroline's gazes. "Onto our next adventure them?" He asked before flashing them from the mansion.

* * *

Rebekah looked out the window sadly watching as Kol and Caroline disappeared into the night. A ringing from someone's phone had Rebekah turning hoping that maybe it was Caroline ringing to say they'd see each other again, but that hope was dashed as Damon pulled out his phone and Rebekah caught sight of Stefan's name.

"Now's not the time, little brother." Damon groaned as his skin knitted back together.

"Damon, I've just had my neck snapped by some blonde, I'd think you could make a little time?" Stefan said through the phone.

No sooner had the words left Stefan's mouth did Klaus have the phone. "Where are you now?" Klaus growled and Stefan told him where he was exactly before Klaus vanished from the room in search of their brother and Caroline.

"Right," Damon said standing, now finally healed."Just who the hell is Barbie? and why the hell is she siding with Kol of all people."

"I believe I can answer that!" Elijah said, entering the room and not looking the least bit worried about what had happened. "Barbie as you so poetically called her is Caroline," He glanced at Rebekah before continuing on. "Caroline Mikaelson."

Elena looked shocked her face clearly showing that this had been the last thing he would say. "Another sister?" Elena inquired.

"Not quite," Rebekah joined and took a seat close to the fire. "Caroline was taken in by my our father,"

"Mikael?" Elena questioned.

Rebekah looked at Elijah, wanting to say 'do you see what I have to deal with?.' "Yes, Mikael. He took her in as a child when her parents were killed by wolves."

"I didn't know daddy dearest had a heart?" Damon snickered but quickly stopped at the look Elijah was sending him.

"He didn't take her in out of the goodness of his heart, but out of greed." Rebekah divulged, looking down at the floor as she carried on her story. "Caroline came from a long list of mighty warrior's and any child she bared would inherit not only the will of her own family but of ours when she married Henrik."

"The plan didn't go ahead, as Henrik was killed by the wolves and Caroline being turned was now forever unable to become a mother. She was useless, but we kept her as part of our family, that is until she betrayed us and fled into the night." Elijah interjected.

"She is still apart of this family!" Rebekah insisted, standing up.

"No," Elijah denied, "The moment she left, she stopped being a part of our family."

"She was in mourning," Rebekah offered.

"And we were not sister?"

"I do not remember you ever mourning our brother, Elijah. Not single tear have you shed, nor have you even spoken his name in 1000 years. As I recall it was always Caroline by his side, when he'd laugh, cry or smile, it was Caroline who was there. So forgive her for not wanting to be around people, who did nothing but remind her that the one person she wanted, she could see again. If anyone is family to Henrik and Kol, it is Caroline. You should know by now Elijah, family isn't made from blood ties, but by bonds of the heart." Rebekah pointed out, before walking from the room not sparing anyone another glance.

"So!" Damon drawled and Elijah turned to glare at him. "This Caroline can she be killed?"

* * *

_**New York** _

The chill in the air had no effect on Caroline as she walked through the crowded street. The apartment Kol had secured for them was ideal for them. It was perfect for two of people, on a street that wasn't well known and was close enough to the witch district that contacts were made quickly, witches never could resist Kol for long.

The moment they had been out of Mystic Falls Caroline had made a call so that they would be clocked and there would be no chance for anyone to follow them. No sooner had the call ended did Kol's phone begin to ring. Klaus had made it known that when he found them and that he would, that'd he'd dagger them both for leaving. Caroline had driven straight to New York.

They had planned to get on a plane and leave, but plans never did stay on track. Their adventure had to be put on hold after Caroline had told Kol about the second doppelgänger line. He wanted to consult a witch as soon as they reached New York.

Caroline had been lucky enough to have actually known some of the older witches and so the witch district helped them without much of a fuss.

"Caroline, how nice of you to join us." Marie, the head witch was as old as they came, and it just so happened that Caroline had known her as a child. Children had always gravitated towards Caroline be they human, witch or even wolves.

Closing the door to the restaurant, Caroline made her way to the bar to take a seat. "Kol said you asked to speak with me?"

Marie looked uneasy, her hair was out of place and the woman who usually wore so much make-up that you couldn't tell what her real face looked like, was free of all make-up. Something was definitely wrong.

"I don't know what you've done to get mixed up in this, but you need to stop now Caroline." Marie pleaded reaching to take Caroline's hand into her own. "If, If he wake's,"

"Marie breath," Caroline interrupted, the woman looked scared out of her wits. "What will happen if 'He' wakes? and who is 'He'?"

"Silas!, Silas!" Marie stressed. "If he awake's, I dare not even speak of it, encase it come's true."

"If I stop what I'm doing then Silas will rise, I need your help to make sure that doesn't happen." Caroline explained, "Please Marie, without the help of you and your coven, Silas will be awakened and the 'End' will be upon us."

Taking a deep breath Marie collected herself. "I trust you, Caroline, so please," Marie pleaded. "Don't betray my trust."

* * *

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	5. Chapter 5

****_**I do not own any of the** _ **_characters_ **

* * *

The walk back to their apartment was quick as Caroline needed to let Kol know, just what was going on. The lived on the fourth floor and even with the view being really quite bad, Caroline loved their small abode.

"Well, how'd it go?" Kol called as soon as he heard the door open and Caroline's scent invades the apartment. Caroline inhaled the smell of freshly baked goods. Kol was an excellent baker, despite being in a coffin for almost 200 years.

"It's worse than we had originally thought." Caroline proclaimed with a tried sigh, as lay down on the sofa. She couldn't help but giggle as Kol came into view.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

She snickered, "What are you wearing?" Wearing a pink apron that said "I'm ready to be loved up" Kol looked quite the sight to Caroline.

Giggling she reached out and pulled him by the apron till he was sat, and she could rest her head on his lap. "I saw it today while out and thought 'this is so me!'" He joked as he reached out to run his finger through her hair.

"If you get anything in my hair," She left the threat unfinished.

"And after you only showered this morning, Darling, I wouldn't dare," Kol said, wriggle his eyebrows and Caroline laughed at the sight.

Reaching up she brushed her hand against his chin, rubbing away some chocolate that had been there. "Were you eating the goodie's without me?" She asked with a raise of her eyebrow.

"Your most handsome chief would never do such a thing." Kol declared, with a mischievous smile.

"Okay, lets sample some of those goodie's, while I tell you what happened" She climbed over the back of the sofa and made her way the kitchen to gather the plate with their treats. "It's not finished, but we come up with a plan," Caroline revealed. "You up for this?"

Kol grinned. "I'm ready for anything!"

"Good, because we've got a lot of work to do and very little time," Caroline told taking a bit from one the cookies.

"I do in enjoy a challenge."

* * *

**Mythic Falls**

"How hard is it to perform a simple locator spell?" Klaus growled holding the witch against the wall by her throat. "I want results and if I don't see any within the next 5 minutes, I'm going to rip that pretty little head of yours, right off your body." Klaus darkly promised as he let the witch slid down the wall. As quickly as she could, she ran from the room.

"Nik, get off it. They've clearly been cloaked by a witch, there's no way for your little witch to find Kol and even if you had Caroline's blood, I'd wager that she's been cloaked too." Rebekah said, not even bothering to look up from where she was tending to her nails.

"Well then, sister, what do you think I should do?" Klaus spun on heel and glared at Rebekah. "Kol's out there doing god knows what to ruin my life, and you'd have me just sit back and wait for him to show himself."

Rebekah huffed. "You sure it's not because once again, he's run off with Caroline?" She mocked as she lifted her eye's up to meet his.

"That's enough Rebekah," Elijah told as he entered the room.

Rolling her eye's Rebekah went back to her nail care. "Like you can say anything Elijah, you've wanted Caroline out since the moment she stepped foot in town. It wouldn't surprise me if it was you, who helped them escape." No sooner did the words leave her mouth, did she realize her mistake.

"What did you do?" Klaus roared, pointing his finger at Elijah as he walked closer to where his brother stood in the doorway.

"Nothing Nik, I was out of line to say such a thing." Rebekah tried, but alas Klaus had never been one to listen.

"I know there's something you're not telling me," Klaus stared intently into Elijah's eyes and tilted his head slightly. "I will find out about whatever it is, so why don't you just tell me now."

"I've done nothing brother, I only warned her that she should not tag both you and Kol along in whatever game she's playing," Elijah confessed.

"Game?" Klaus asked, looking at Elijah oddly. "You know nothing about Caroline."

"And you do? It's been 1000 years Niklaus, Caroline isn't the girl you once knew, she changed, just like the rest of us." Elijah told, wanting to make his brother understand that people didn't remain the same after such long time.

"Kol doesn't appear to think she's changed, and from the little time I had in her company, neither do I." Caroline had still been the same person she left all that time ago in the forest, her eye's still shined with sorrow from loss, but Rebekah could also see that her light had been replenished.

"A few hours spent in her company does not mean she hasn't changed." Elijah began.

"If she's as evil as you believe her to be, then why was it Mother never tried to harm her while she was here, only the five of us were connected." Rebekah looked sm


	6. Chapter 6

_**I do not own any of the** _ **_characters_ **

* * *

Niklaus, it's come to my attention that we are not on the best of terms," Klaus looked up at Elijah, wondering just where this conversation was going. "I sent out word to certain people to be on the look out for Kol and Caroline, Brother, there has been a sighting of them both in New York."

"They're still there now?" Klaus asked, reaching to grab his jacket.

"My source tell's me, that they're been there for some time."

"This source wouldn't happen to be a doppelgänger, would they?" Elijah didn't answer and Klaus didn't really care. "They're up to something, otherwise Kol would have them in Europe by now." Klaus wonders, just what is in New York that the two would stay there. "Where exactly in New York are they?"

Elijah shifts. "That's the problem brother, there inside the barrier that protects the Astor coven."

The Astor coven is as old as they come, as far as Klaus had known they have never held any kind of relationship with vampires. "I doubt Kol could worm his way into the heart of the elders of such a coven, so just why are they helping him?"

"It's not Kol they are helping." Elijah watches as realization flashes across Klaus's eyes.

"Caroline always could befriend even the vilest of creature's," Klaus smirked with pride.

"You'll be going then?"

Klaus grinned, that evil glint entering his eye's. "Why of course, our dear little brother can't be left alone, otherwise he'd get up to trouble," Klaus said as he walked towards the door, He stopped just beside Elijah and patted his shoulder. "Well done brother on finding their location."

"Katerina gave me this information as a bargaining chip, she'd like her freedom in return," Elijah said before Klaus could leave the room.

Klaus narrowed his eye's. "Tell your little peasant girl, that she has her freedom but, if she knows what's good for her she'll stay as far away from me as possible," Klaus said as he walked away but the stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Oh, do tell her that if I arrive in New York and they are nowhere to be found, I will find her, then kill her slowly and painfully." With a smile, Klaus left the room set on traveling to New York as soon as possible.

Just as Klaus had been about to drive away, he remembered something, so rooting out his phone he typed a quick message to his sister, then drove off with a determined look on his face. "You can't hide anymore, Love."

* * *

Damon, we need to complete the mark." Elena said as she and Damon went over plan after plan to try to complete the mark.

"I know that Elena, but we don't exactly have the white oak stake anymore and unless you'd like to gather something like 500 vampire's in one place, we don't have any way to complete the mark," Damon stated as he poured himself a drink.

Jeremy kept silent about the whole thing and wondered if he could leave without being noticed. "Look, maybe I should,"

"You stay put!" Damon and Elena said together, they shared a smile when the realized what they'd done.

"Let's not fight, I'm sure that we'll come up with a way to kill her." Elena offered as she sat down, snuggled into Damon's side.

"Hold up, what?" Damon questioned when he caught up to what Elena had said. "You want to go after that Barbie? Why?"

Elena looked at him like he changed sides. "Because she attacked my brother Damon, that should be reason enough!"

"There's plenty of better targets, besides's we don't have any idea where Kol and her have gone too." Jeremy offered.

"Bonnie can do a locater spell," Elena assured.

"With what Elena? We have nothing of their's to do a locator spell with?" Jeremy argued. "Look, I'm out of here, I'm meeting Matt at the grill." He snapped, finally having enough.

Elena sighs and gets up to follow, she stops outside when she finds Jeremy in the arms of some of some man she's never seen before, he's holding a needle to Jeremy's neck. "Damon!" She wailed and Damon was instantly at her side. "I don't know what you? but let him go!" Elena advised the man, but he wasn't looking at her. "Damon?" She questioned, looking up at her partner who looked shocked by the man in front of them.

"It's been a long time, Damon." The man says's and Elena feels Damon shift back towards the house.

"How are you alive?" Damon asked, unsure of the man before him.

"When you left me to burn in that house, image my surprise when a blonde, perky, angle of Death walked through the flame's to release me from my cage. While my friend, left me to burn. You left me to burn." The man emphasized the last part.

"I turned my emotions' off, there was nothing I could do!" Damon argued.

"Wait," Elena cut in. "Are you here because of Caroline?" She hissed.

The man smirks. "Caroline didn't ask me to come, I heard she was in the area and came looking. Image my surprise when I hear my old friend Damon is living here, I turn up here to forgive him about the past when I hear a plot against the only person I can't allow to be harmed."

Jeremy is highly aware of the needle pressing harder and harder against his throat. He knows this man is a vampire, and highly skilled. There is no escape from the hold that the man has him in.

"If she has something against you. We can help," Elena appealed, but the man only snorts.

"Caroline saved my life, there is nothing you can offer me. We were once friends Damon," The man goes off topic and they wonder what he is up too. "But I'm not sorry, for Caroline I'd even kill you." With those words, he pushes the needle into Jeremy's neck and press's down.

"No! Enzo!" Damon shouts.

"No!" Elena screamed, rushing forward to catch her brother as he falls.

Damon looks from Enzo to Elena and Jeremy on the ground. "You knew he was a hunter?"

Enzo smirks. " Caroline didn't just set me free without teaching me all about the world, I know more about the super nature world than you ever will Damon. " Enzo answers, he looks as at Jeremy's pale form. "Snake venom, a nasty thing." He says then with a smirk he's gone, vanishing from sight.

"Damon" Help me!" Elena cries, cradling Jeremy's shaking form. "Quick give him blood!" No sooner are the words said, does Jeremy begin to heave blood up. It happens within minute's and they are unable to do anything to help. "Jeremy?" Elena whisper's, shaking him.

"Elena," Damon says, grasping her hand. "He's gone." Elena looks up, she is crying but her eyes have turned cold. Damon know's what she's trying to do. "Focus on me, focus on nothing but me."

* * *

Marina' or better known as 'the Island'. It's there, I'd bet my last cookie on it." Caroline says holding up her last cookie.

Kol swipes it and eats it one. Caroline looks from her hand to Kol, back to her hand. "Kol, that was the last cookie."

"You're the one who bet your cookie, I'm just taking you up on your offer." Kol grins, wiping away any crumbs that might remain. "Where is this so called 'The Island' located?" Kol questions, as he slid down next to her on the floor to look at the map she has laid out.

"Located 200 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia." Caroline points out where it is that they'll be going.

Leaning closer Kol looks at where he finger is placed, pushing it out of the way slightly he see's what he's looking for. "So Canada?" He asks sending her a look of pure excitement. He pouts, "Why couldn't it be somewhere else, I was really hoping for Europe."

Caroline pats him on the shoulder as she moves to stand. "Yeah, me too. Europe ain't the same without you with me. Hey, after all, this is sorted why don't we head over to Italy, been a couple hundred years since we were last there?"

Kol smiles. "Sounds good, darling." He watches her gather up the other maps that had littered the floor. "Hey, Caroline?!"

"Yeah, what up?"

"That leather cuff," Her eye's widens as she grips it. "Where'd you get it?"

Caroline had forgotten to tell Kol about her discovery back in Mythic Falls. Sliding it from her wrist she passes it to him.

Kol handles it with care, he can smell the age of the leather. The marking is all too familiar, he catches sight of the writing and reads it aloud. "For the girl, who has been my sun." He knows these words he thinks to himself before it finally comes to him. "Henrik! How?"

Caroline smiles as he pass's it back and she secures it around her wrist. "Another game, he buried it in our spot." Caroline confides. Henrik and the games they had played, she hadn't shared them with anyone but with kol, she trusted him with her treasured memories of Henrik.

"What made you look there?"

She shrugs. "Just a feeling I got."

"Well, if you come across anything else that belongs to him, I'm claiming it."

She smiles at him sadly, she knows that her finding something of his brother's must hurt. "I'll always be on the look out."

He stands and pulls her into his embrace. "Your all that he's left and I won't let you go, not to anyone, not even Nik."

Caroline is silent in his embrace, seconds pass before she places a cherished kiss on his lips. "Then never let me go." She whispers against his lips when she pulls back.

"Never." He promise's, but something sounds off to Caroline.

* * *

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	7. Chapter 7

_**I do not own any of the** _ **_characters_ **

* * *

"Hey, Caroline." Caroline turns to find a young witch named Judy, standing behind her. "Can I have a word?" Caroline glances at Kol, he's got the message. It's a girls only conversation, so he's quick to depart outside where he'll wait for Caroline.

Caroline knows that he'll be listening in on their conversation, but she see's no harm in that. "So, what do you need to talk about?"

Judy is 17, the same age as Caroline herself. She hasn't been very involved in the any of the meetings that have occurred, so Caroline is curious to hear what she has to say?

"What's it like to die?" The question caught Caroline off guard.

Placing a hand on the girl's shoulder Caroline asked."Judy, where is this coming from?"

"I'm sick," Judy explained. "The doctors said that there's nothing can be done. The coven, they've tried but, even they have been unsuccessful. I just want to know what it will be like when I pass on?"

"I'm sorry to hear that, but I won't lie to you. You'll be just fine, you'll be reunited with the witches of your coven and will spend eternity with them. One day, all the witches from this time will join you, so there is no need to worry."

Judy looked content with what Caroline had said, then asked Caroline something she wished she didn't have to answer. "Will my grandpa be there? He wasn't a witch."

Caroline looked off to the side. "No, I'm afraid that his soul is somewhere that you and I can never reach." She told sadly.

"You've been there? To the other side?"

Caroline bit her lip, debating whether to answer. "Once long ago, before I was a monster, I died as a human girl. Someone I loved deeply had just died and when I was killed, I thought that I would go to him. You and I, we can never go to where it is, that they were gone."

Those were Caroline's parting words to the girl but, as she left she heard a whisper from Judy. "I don't know anyone, who could think you a monster." The words did little to comfort Caroline as she rejoined Kol.

"You think yourself a monster?" He asked as the two began walking together, him just a few steps ahead.

"I know what you've done to keep me safe, the blood you spilled is on my hands, just as much as it is on yours." She explained, she was unable to see his face but could see how he stiffened.

"You know of the terrible things I've done, and yet you saved me?"

"If it had been me in that house, would you have come for me?" She questioned.

Kol stopped and in turn so did Caroline. He turned his head slightly so that he was looking at his over his shoulder at her. "Had it been you in that house, I would have destroyed everything. Taken the lives of every person they held dear, destroyed the graves of their lost loved ones, only then would I have finally killed them. I would make sure that their deaths were as painfully as could be possible." He turned around to fully meet her eye's. "For you my darling Caroline, I would hand you over to death himself, if it meant I could keep you safe."

Caroline could only watch in utter silence as Kol turned and began the walk back to their apartment.

* * *

New York is busy, the crowded streets have not changed since Klaus had last been here. His phone beeps, pulling it from his pocket he checks to see who it's from, it's an unknown number. It reads 'They rarely leave the circle, but the girl tends to visit the coffee shop called 'little owl'. I'm sure you'll find it.'

Katherine, Klaus smirks. He's sure that she's put as much distance between them as she possibly can, now that he has arrived. He pockets his phone, not bothering to reply to her message.

He finds the coffee shop easily and thankful it's not inside the witches barrier. Trust Caroline to find the one coffee shop in New York that was so well hidden, that not even Klaus had heard about it. It's small and reminds him oddly enough of the huts they had lived in as humans. A bell chimes as he steps inside, He notes that there aren't many in the shop, only two customers and the older lady behind the till.

"Miss, might I have a word out back?" His own eye's dilated as he gazes into the brown eyes of the lady.

"Of course, come right back."

She led him to the back room, but Klaus made sure to compel the other two occupants. They hadn't bothered to look up since he'd entered, but he wasn't taking any chances.

"This man, have you seen him?" He showed the lady a picture of Kol he had on his phone.

"No, this man has never entered the shop."

Klaus puts the phone away and took out a piece of paper. Unfolding it, he showed the lady the sketch of Caroline. "This girl, you know her?"

"Yes, she come's in every Monday, come rain or shine."

"You'll forget I was ever here." Klaus compelled, before leaving the shop and wandering back out onto the almost empty street. It was a Friday, he wasn't about to wait till Monday for Caroline to show up. If he could find a witch belonging to the coven then he'd be sorted, but the witches of New York were a lot smarter than most.

None of the witches here performed magic were they could be seen by other's and their barriers meant that vampires couldn't follow them or get past the barrier without the whole covens consent. They were too smart for their own good and one of the covens that Klaus hated most in north America.

The trick would be to catch Caroline or Kol outside the barrier or somehow force them to cross over of their own accord, something Klaus couldn't see happening. Not only would he have to deal with his brother and Caroline, but the Astor coven wasn't likely to just the let him take the two vampire's they'd allowed into their barrier be taken so easily. No, Klaus would need to plan a lot more than he had intended too.

* * *

Rebekah wasn't a errand girl, but Klaus seemed to think that with every chick of his fingers she'd jump. This time she wouldn't be at his beck and call, it wasn't strangers he was plotting against but, their very family. Rebekah knew she wasn't anywhere near a good person, yet she'd play no part in this war between her two brothers, even if it was one-sided.

She heard what had happened to Jeremy Gilbert, not a big loss. She was intrigued by the vampire who'd done it, they'd known that the Gilbert boy was a hunter and had successfully taken him out without activating the cruse. "Clever." Rebekah had commented when she'd been told.

She had a feeling that the vampire responsible wouldn't go far, it had been made clear that they'd stop any plans to end Caroline before they could start and Rebekah would bet the location of the daggers that they were staying somewhere in town.

So far four days had passed and Rebekah hadn't caught sight nor sound of the mysterious newcomer. They weren't feeding on anyone in town, meaning that they were probably hunting away from the town, close to the borders.

Deciding to test her theory she drove out of town late one night, hoping to catch the elusive person. No sooner had she passed the sign did she caught sight of a figure lying in the road, smirking she stopped and decided to play along with their act.

"Are you alright?" She called putting on an American accent, after shopping the car and climbing out. The person didn't answer so she ventured forward and seen that the person was a man. "Sir?" She asked, beginning to lose her practice.

He appeared in front of her suddenly. "I'm fine, madam, but I can't say the same for you." He spoke with a British accent she noted. He reached out to cup her face but Rebekah was quicker, she snapped his hand and kicked him back a few feet. He landed on his back with a huff.

Walking towards him she placed her foot on his chest keeping him pinned to the ground. "I really hope you're the one I'm looking for, or I'm afraid it's you who's going to end up hurt." She said, her normal accent coming out.

The man was quite handsome, a shame it would be to kill him, but if he wasn't the person she was seeking then he was of no use to her. "That all depends on,., who it you're looking for?" The man replied, with a smirk. He then snapped her ankle and threw her off him.

She caught herself before she could fall and watched as he righted himself before her. "I'm looking for the one who killed the hunter"

"Sorry, but that was a one time deal, you want a hunter killed, take care of it yourself." He turned to leave when she appeared in front of him.

"You're a friend of Caroline's?"

His eye's narrowed slightly, she knew she now held his full attention. "Who wants to know?" He questioned.

"Her sister, not that you'd know anything about her past,"

"Rebekah!?" He exclaimed and Rebekah herself was caught guard by the smirk the man graced her with. "Caroline told me all about you. I'm afraid if you're looking for Caroline, she's left this town some time ago."

"I know that I live here. Caroline stayed here no more than a day, before moving on." She informs him. " I heard that a friend of her's had killed the hunter."

The man sneered. "They were plotting against her, I couldn't just walk away knowing something like that."

"I had no then a couple of hours in Caroline's company, I'd like every much if you'd tell me of your time with her."

"I see no problem with that," Rebekah motioned to her car and the man follows behind her. "I'm Enzo by the way." He said once they were in the car.

"Rebekah Mikaelson." She answered, even if he did already know who she was.

* * *

"Okay, that's it." Caroline says the moment they arrive back at their apartment, after visiting the witch coven.

Kol quirks an eyebrow in return. "Something wrong, darling?" He asks, falling into the couch.

Caroline glares, her nails digging into her hands, causing small cuts. The veins under Kol's eye appear at the scent of her blood, there is none sweeter than Caroline's. "You, what is your problem?" She growls as she pounces on him. Kol remains silent and turns his head. Caroline see's the change, she takes his face gently in her hands and turns him back to face her. "You used to tell me everything once."

"Yeah, only because I knew that no matter what I told you, you'd never tell another soul," Kol grunted, but Caroline caught sight of the slight tug from the corner of his lip.

"Well, you always did need to brag about the mischief you got up too." Caroline supplied.

"Here I thought you liked my stories." He said playfully, beginning to relax.

"I still do." Caroline smiled and brushed her fingers across his cheek. "When you tell me about the things you've done while we were parted, I like to picture that we went together on those adventures. That we weren't really parted at all because even when we are apart, I feel like a part of you is always with me."

Kol watched her with dark eye's filled with many different emotions. He reached up to place his hand over where her heart lay. "My heart will always belong to you," He patted his hand over her heart. "And it's here that it will always remain." He confided.

Placing her own hands over his, she held his hand to her chest. "If you love me, you won't let me go. You'll fight the devil, not hand me over to him. For a thousand years, you've left me alone to keep me safe, but no more. I will fight alongside with you, together and nothing and no one will get between us." She promised.

"Together?" He asked unsurely.

"Till the end of time." She vowed and when she looked into his eye's, she didn't see that sadness that had been there the last couple of weeks, but the true Kol who would never give up fighting for her. "Don't ever leave me again."

"Never." He promised.


	8. Chapter 8

_**I do not own any of the** _ **_characters_ **

* * *

"So, tell me Enzo, how long have you known Caroline?" Rebekah inquired, having brought them back to her apartment.

She held up a bottle and at his nod poured them both a glass before she sat on the chair opposite him, leaving his glass on the arm of his chair as she passed.

"I've known Caroline since 1958," He swished the whiskey around in his glass, a far away look entering his eye's. "I thought her at first my imagination, trying to make me fear death a little less."

Rebekah was intrigued, this man had the tongue of a storyteller. She found herself hung on each one and he'd only said a sentence. "She saved you!" His brown eye's glanced up at her for no more than a second before returning to the liquid in the glass.

"She did more than save me, she gave me  another chance at life." Enzo took another look at Rebekah. She reminded him slightly of Caroline, with her blond hair, blue eye's and pale skin, but that was where it ended. Rebekah's eye's did not hold the same light that Caroline's did, Rebekah didn't hold that spark of life that Caroline held, Rebekah reminded him oddly enough more of himself. 'Slightly broken, yet not completely unrepairable' as Caroline liked to say.

"Just from who did Caroline save you from?"

"From the fiery pit of hell itself and the demons who lived there." He nodded to where the fire burned. " She walked through the flames to where it was I stood caged. Not even my own friend had stayed, yet Caroline came from out of nowhere. In one kick she'd managed to break in the gate and had covered me in a cloak before leading me to safety." He nursed his drink.

Rebekah raised an eyebrow at the knowledge supplied. "I take it you got your revenge once Caroline fixed you up?"

She watched his eyes darken in a sinister way, she had seen Nik's and Kol's eye's take on such a sinister appearance many times.

"Caroline is not one for killing, but even she couldn't allow those monster to be left alive, least they pass on their idea's. I took care of most of them and Caroline made sure that none of the other's lived passed that night."

Caroline was no killer, but Rebekah knew that she'd never let anyone she deemed evil walk away, but then Caroline loved Kol. Rebekah considered Kol, one of the evilest people on the planet, alongside Nik himself. "I take it, your not the first person that she's saved?"

Enzo grunted. "I'd never heard of Caroline before, not many have, but if you say her name to the right people! You can be sure that they'll have your back during any incidents that may occur while you're together."

"Were any of them turned by her?" Rebekah questioned, never having come across another vampire who claimed to be turned by the other girl in her family.

Enzo thought for a moment before he answered. "Couldn't say. Who's your sire? Isn't a question people ask each other when they meet."

"So, back to Caroline. What else do you know about her?" Rebekah went make to the topic at hand.

Enzo grinned. "Caroline is a feisty piece a work, don't make them like her anymore."

"And what do you mean by that?" Rebekah asked, taking offense.

Enzo held but his hands in mock surrender. "Now, don't take it the wrong way, but I'm talking about the woman that came decades after you. You Original women," He leaned forward in his chair, looking so closely at Rebekah that she blushed. "You have a certain appeal that no woman born after your time has been graced with. You and Caroline, have beauty to which none can be compared too."

The tongue of a storyteller and the tongue of a flirt. Rebekah smiled, she liked a man who could woo her with words.

* * *

Waking up the next morning, Kol couldn't help but lay and watch Caroline as she slept. It was something he always found himself doing when he woke up next to her, and when he'd have to leave her he'd find himself staring at the empty space where she was supposed to lay.

Seeing the time and knowing that the today was the day they'd be leaving, he untangling himself from her grasp and he left the warmth of their bed to make breakfast. He'd fought to have Caroline at his side for a thousand years and lately, he'd felt he'd lost that right, but trust Caroline to never let him give up the fight. He always said that it was him who'd found Caroline, but really it had been all her.

During one of the worst time's of his life, he almost turned his emotions off and then, there she'd been. She had walked out of the forest, barefoot, wearing a white dress. He'd almost took her for a fairy folk when he first caught sight of her. She reached out to him and he'd fallen away, not wanting to touch something so pure. Then, she said his name and gently took his hand, he followed her and had never once looked back.

Caroline was his guiding light, whenever he was with her, he wanted to be a better man. A man that Caroline deserved. Once this was all over, he planned to get them both as far always from his siblings as possible. Caroline and him alone worked, he didn't need anyone other than her, and she'd made it clear that she felt the same. All in all, he was feeling good this morning.

Caroline some time later woke to the smell burning blood. Crawling from the bed, she made sure to put Kol,'s top on from yesterday so that she was covered. It didn't matter what era she lived in, she just couldn't bring herself to be naked outside of the comfort of their bed and she'd never risk anyone other then Kol seeing her without her clothes.

"Hm, Good morning." She said, placing a kiss on his cheek as he held out a cup of hot blood. She wondered where'd he'd got fresh blood, but then thought it must have been from one of the neighbors.

"Morning." He replied, letting his hand reach off to brush against her back as she walked around the counter to take a seat in front of him. "So, we've got less than an hour. You sure that this plan is full proof?"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were doubting the plan?" There was a certain twinkle in her eye's that showed him, that she was playing with him.

"Me, never." He mocked, reaching across to hold her hand in his. "After this, it's you and me."

"Is that a promise?" She asked, letting her fingers intertwine with his. "Because you know, I'll hold you to it."

"It's a promise, one I don't intend to let anyone break."

Leaning across the counter Caroline let her lips brush tenderly against his own. "Good."

* * *

She did what?" Rebekah laughed, as Enzo informed her of the time Caroline and he had joined the circus.

"I tell you it's the truth," It was some hours since they had first arrived at the apartment and they been talking back and forth about their experiences with Caroline. "You should have seen her when she woke up."

The empty bottles of alcohol lined the floor between them. "Well, I imagine being kidnapped by clowns wasn't on her to-do list." Rebekah snorted in amusement.

"She did alright, you know Caroline always willing to help just about anyone." He took a swing from the bottle he'd traded his glass for and relaxed further into the chair. "I think it was the animals she was more interested in helping."

"Yeah, Caroline always did have a soft spot for animals of all kinds."

Enzo hummed in agreement. "The elephants took a shine to her. She even took to sleeping in with them, rather than with the other girls in the tents." He disclosed.

"Doesn't surprise me, we used to find her and Henrik sleeping with the horses in the barn." She reminisced before realizing what she had said, she found herself quieting now in the bright room.

"This brother of yours, Kol," Enzo spoke, not mentioning the drop of the unknown name. He could tell that it wasn't his business to know. "Caroline calls him the wild card, what's he like?"

Rebekah was glad for the new topic, she didn't wish to speak about Henrik to anyone other than Caroline. She felt like Caroline was the only one who could understand the pain she still felt, the loss of her brother, but her pain, nothing compared what Caroline had to live with.

"Kol," She began, picturing the smirking face of Kol in her mind, then looked to stare Enzo straight in the eyes. "He's exactly what Caroline said he was, he's the wild card and I don't know what he's like when he's with Caroline, but when their apart, he's a monster."

"Those are some pretty strong words."

"Kol cares nothing about life. He's killed more people than myself and my other brothers combined. I wonder what it is Caroline sees in him?"

"Seems to me you've only seen one side of him."

"What?"

Enzo pondered on the thought for a second. "Well, you said it yourself, you don't know what he's like when the two are together. They were here for a couple of hours, weren't they?" She nodded. "So, what was he like when you could see them together?"

"He was," Rebekah paused thinking about the little time she had seen them together. "my big brother again. It was like he'd been hiding all this time, but next to Caroline, he reminded me of the person he'd once been."

"It obvious to me from what Caroline's told me about him, that she loves him very much. When the two are together Caroline seems to live and when they're apart, she just seems to drift through life, waiting for him to come back to her."

"They really love each other." Rebekah could see now just how much the two meant to one another. Even though Kol had never mentioned Caroline once, he always ran off at the first chance. Seeing the two of them together made her wish that she could feel a little of what they felt.

"That hybrid brother of yours," Enzo cut off her dreaming. "He's been after Caroline for a long time. What do you think will happen now that he knows what's been going on?"

Rebekah stared into her glass. "Nik doesn't know when he's lost, he'll chase them across the world if he has too. He won't let them be together."

Enzo took a swung then dropped the empty bottle as he climbed to his feet. "If that's the case, then I best be off."

"What? Where are you going?" Rebekah asked also climbing to her feet trying to avoid the many bottles scatter around the floor.

Enzo swung his jacket over his shoulder as he made his way to the door. "I'm going to find Caroline and warn her before your brother finds them." He told opening the door.

"You're too late!" Enzo paused and turned to look back at her. "He's already found them."


	9. Chapter 9

_**I do not own any of the** _ **_characters_ **

* * *

"You know, I'm gonna miss this place." Caroline confessed, running her hand along the door frame. "This is the first place we ever stayed in that we didn't have a hand in making."

"Hey, this is ours, we can come back anytime we want," Kol said cradling her from behind.

Caroline smiled and rubbed his arm. "Yeah, when this is over and we're on the other side of the world, I probably won't want to come back."

"We've got forever to decide, but what doesn't have time is the plane we have scheduled to fly us out," Kol said pulling away and grabbing their packs. They'd packed light, only bringing two changes of clothes and they decided they would steal some blood bags before they boated over to the island.

"Hopefully we won't have to stay more than a few days. It's been a long time since I've had to part from my curler." Caroline said, picking up her own pack and slinging in onto her back as Kol locked up the door for the final time.

Kol laughed as he turned and slung his arm over her shoulder as the two walked down the stairs together. "Darling, you forget, I loved you long before you started to curl your hair."

She threw her head make in a laugh, remembering some of the hairstyles she'd had over the years. "You have to say, this hairstyle is by far the best I've ever had." She said, running her fingers through her own hair and looking at him.

He fingered the end of her hair. "I've loved all your hair styles."

He took his arm away to open the door to let them out onto the street, but Caroline grasped it once they were out in the open. "I like this hairstyle the most on you." She nodded up his own perfectly styled hair. "Only thing that bothers me, is that everyone else seems to think so too." She sneered as a girl stopped to check him out.

He chuckled and leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head. "You know you're the only girl for me."

"I'd better be," Caroline said, glaring at the other woman who paused to stare at them. What she didn't seem to take any notice of, was the groups of men who were also checking her out. He felt smug at the jealous stares directed in their direction from both women and men when they realized that both Caroline and him were taken.

They walked the short distance to the parking lot where Kol kept his car. The 'Hamann memoR McLaren MP4-12C' was Kol's pride and joy and Caroline knew that he'd have it shipped to Europe before they even arrived. Caroline loved the car as well, the car was built for speed and while in New York, well, they never got test it to the max. She was looking forward to speeding down the Italian roads, where there was plenty of open roads to test out the car.

Kol always the gentlemen to her, opened the door and let her slid in before closing it and flashing into the driver side. The roar of the engine still sent jolts down Caroline's spine, she didn't know why maybe because whenever they drove in the fast car it felt like she was escaping with Kol.

The drive to the airport was done quick, they gave themselves just enough time to arrive in the aircraft hanger and where the private jet was waiting. The jet was started, the pilot waiting in the cockpit waved to them as they climbed from the car.

Kol tossed her their packs, as she made her way up the stairs of the jet. "Don't take to long." She called over her shoulder, knowing that he would compel, whoever it was that would be shipping the car. She threw the packs on the first seat, then pasted it to check out the rest of the small jet.

She was checking out the small kitchen when she heard the door close and lock. She heard a swish and then a puff as Kol dropped his weight into the chair. She heard more than felt the jet begin to move, the crunch of the grave as it moved from the inside of the hanger out into the open.

Deciding to take her seat, she knew instantly that something wasn't right. Walking down the aisle she could see Kol, sitting in one of the chairs. What she happened been expecting was Klaus to be sitting in the chair beside from Kol, instantly she was at Kol's side and gasped in horror at the dagger protruding from his chest and the dead eye's that stared back at her.

"Now, Love. Before you go pulling out that dragger, I believe You and I have some things to talk about, Don't we?" Klaus gestured to the seat across from him. With a sneer, Caroline pulled Kol's body onto the chair across from Klaus with her. She laid him back into the chair and gently closed his eyelids so that it looked like he was just sleeping. Taking a seat beside him once she had him in a comfy position, she glared at Klaus.

Klaus watched as Caroline cushioned Kol against her, wishing that it was him that held Caroline affections. All was fair in love and war, and Klaus wouldn't just let his brother slip off into the sunset with the girl he had longed for, for over a thousand years.

"Well? What is it you think we need to talk about?" The sight of Caroline before him, was a sight he would never grow tired of seeing, of that he was sure.

* * *

Enzo had been furious with the news that Klaus had already found Caroline's location. He wanted to set out immediately, but not knowing where it was, that they were, he had no choice, but to rely on Rebekah to find out where it was Caroline and the two brothers were.

Of course, Enzo had heard of the older brother named Elijah, but Caroline had never had anything good to say about said brother, so he wasn't happy that the only one who knew Caroline locations just happened to be the brother that didn't get along with Caroline.

"She'll never forgive him if he does something wrong. Just tell me where they are Elijah, or any chance he has with Caroline will disappear!" Rebekah had been pleading with Elijah for the last hour and Enzo was finally done.

"It's obvious that he isn't going to tell us anything, so" Enzo glanced at the doorway which Elijah seemed keen to block. "Why don't we ask your little friend, where they are?"

Rebekah looked at him to the doorway, to Elijah before a rage burned in her eye's as round house kicked Elijah through the door. Enzo whistled as he joined Rebekah in the doorway, the brunette that was in the room glanced around nervously. "Your such a hypocrite Elijah, you seek out your own so called love, while keeping Nik from his? How the mighty have fallen, I'm sure Nik will be pleased to know that you've kept your pet around while he's gone."

Elijah was suddenly on his feet tackling Rebekah to the floor, there was a scramble to move out of the way and Enzo caught the moment the brunette moved to escape. She gasped in surprise when she found herself suddenly stopped and looked down to see the hand in her chest, squeezing her heart. Her eye's moved from his to the siblings behind him.

He might be young, but Enzo had been trained by Caroline."Now then, why don't you tell me what I came for?" He asked, tugging ever so slightly, but by the grimace, it didn't do anything to relieve the pain she was in.

"New York, that's where they were, and that's all I know." She wheezed glaring at him, but Enzo found that nothing could strike fear into your heart, not after stealing one of Caroline's cookies by mistake.

"That's all I wanted to know." He said smiling as he realized her. He shoots Rebekah a smirk before he flashes from the large mansion house that the Originals call home, well, at least some of them did.

* * *

Rebekah caught the smirk Enzo sent her way before he flashed away. He had his heading and wouldn't be long in following it up. She watched as Elijah stepped forward as if to go to Katherine 's side, but she quickly stopped that by snapping her brother neck from behind. His body dropped to the floor leaving Katherine 's frighted form staring at her.

Rebekah advanced, enjoyed the look of fear in the other vampire's eye's, as surely she knew what was about to happen. "You and your line have been a torn in this families side for too long, neither of my brother's could kill you, but I," Her hand was suddenly wrapped around a beating heart. "I will take pleasure in knowing that I was the one killed the illusive Katerina Petrova."

She ripped the heart from Katherine's chest and didn't even wait to hear the body drop as she ran out, following Enzo. She stopped in the driveway and smiled at the sight before her.

"Time's a wasting, Love. You coming on this adventure or what?" Enzo smirked from behind the wheel of Rebekah's convertible.

Hoping into the passenger seat, she was thrown back as he sped away. Her hair wiping behind her, she turned to watch him as he drove. "What do you plan to do once we've reached New York, and what the bloody hell were they dong so close by?"

Enzo smirked, glancing at her for only a moment. "Caroline's a smart girl. She'd never go New York for anything over then shopping unless it was an emergency."

"An emergency." She pondered, pulling her sunglasses from the glove compartment and putting them on. "What's in New York, that she'd go there?" Asked Rebekah, wondering why Caroline and Kol would hide out there.

"Not a what, but a whom, and their one of the strongest covens in the world. Caroline just happens to be there VIP and she'd never ask them for a favor unless it was something big, so, why don't you tell me what's Caroline gone and got herself into too." Enzo said, all playfulness gone.


	10. Chapter 10

_**I do not own any of the** _ **_characters_ **

* * *

Klaus had been staring at her so intently that Caroline was beginning to feel exposed. Those blue eye's, which she had once admired, now held something that she had only ever seen reflected at her in Kol's eyes. It was unnerving, to say the least, but she wouldn't let him know of the turmoil she was feeling at the present time.

"Why don't we move Kol to the back of the plane? Then we can properly talk." Klaus suggested his eye's flicking to the grayed form of Kol, which Caroline cradled to her side. He watched as her arm tightened its hold on his daggered brother.

"No. He's fine just where he is, and I won't let you lay another finger upon him." Caroline hissed her eye's flickering to where the dagger lay logged in Kol's chest.

Displeased with the answer, but having thought that would be the case, Klaus decided to get to the point. "What is it you plan to do once you have the 'cure'?"

"I shall decide what to do with the cure when the time comes." He could tell that she spoke the truth, yet, there still remained that hit of worry in the back of his mind. Caroline wasn't like the rest of his family, she was in a sort the same as Finn. Caroline wasn't made to be a vampire, and even having lived a thousand years, she still wasn't meant to be one.

"My mother came back from the dead," A change of subject to something that had been replaying over and over in his mind. "Did she happen to pay you a visit as well."

Caroline suddenly looked uneasy. "She did."

Klaus glanced to Kol. "And did you happen to tell my brother, of this visit she paid you?" Klaus questioned, interested in the answer.

"No, I didn't and you're not going to tell him either," Caroline warned her eye's boring into Klaus's.

Klaus held his hands up in mock surrender. "I wouldn't dream of it, Love, but do tell, what is it she wanted of you?"

Caroline did nothing but stare at him for a few minutes, seemly lost in whatever she was thinking about. Finally, she turned away to look at Kol, she brushed her fingers lovingly through his hair and at once Klaus felt the jealous green beast rare its head. "She came to me looking for my blood."

"Well, of course, you're not related to us by blood, so she'd have to go straight to the source," Klaus concluded.

"Yes, I would have given it to her too, if only she could fulfill my wish," Caroline decided there and then, that Klaus would be the only one to ever know of the deal she had made to Esther. "But alas not even she could grant me what I longed for most."

"What is it you asked of her?" Klaus knew, that she was telling him something important. Something she hadn't even confided in Kol.

"I told her, she could have all of my blood if needed, but only if she sent me to the place that humans go." She watched as Klaus put the pieces together in his mind.

"You wanted to go, to where Henrik is!" Klaus whispered, not able to meet Caroline's eyes.

"Yes, but she could not grant me my wish and for some odd reason, she decided that she no longer wished to kill me." The confusion was clear in Caroline's voice, not even she understood why Esther allowed her to live. "Her parting gift to me was information on the cure."

The puzzle finally clicked, his mother had allowed Caroline to live so that she may drink the cure and be reunited with Henrik in the afterlife, while the rest of them would spend eternity in purgatory. "Will you take the cure?"

When she looked at him, Klaus felt his heart tighten. She moved so that she was kneeling on the floor at his feet, her hand reached up to brush his cheek, much the same as she had done to Kol. His beautiful Caroline looked so sad in that moment. "I've been dead for a long, long time." She smiled, such a sad smile. "I'm so tried Nik, and all I've wanted for the last thousand year is death, yet your mother, nor Michael or any of the hunters that have come across me can give me what I seek." She titled her head ever so slightly, her hand remaining on his cheek. "Will you stand in my way, Nik?"

Klaus could only stare at her as he realized just what she intended to do before he could answer she leaned forward and kissed him. It was short and sweet, and when they pulled apart Klaus longed for more. He stared into her blue eye's and knew this must be the look of love that Kol got to experience from her whenever they kissed. Her hands were now on either side of his neck as she leaned down once more. Klaus closed his eye's as their lips met, "I'm not sorry." Was whispered against his lips and he didn't even have time to open his eye's before his neck was snapped.

Caroline stepped back and observed the passed out form of Klaus, his phone beeped from within his pocket. Taking the phone she looked at Elijah's message as it appeared on the screen. Seeing that it mentioned a name she was all too familiar with, she opened it and read the full message. She frowned when she read what Enzo had done, but decided that she was at fault. She should have let him know her plan sooner.

Turning she pulled the dagger from Kol's chest and decided to get a few things from the back of the plane. Once he was awake she'd fill him in on her plan, leaving out some of the details that he didn't need to know about just yet.

* * *

Klaus felt the rush of air against his face as he came back to life. The pain is neck was nothing new, but still, the thought that Caroline had done such a thing. The rush of air was highly annoying and he wondered just what was going on.

Opening his eye's he was greeted to the sight of Kol, and then he realized that Kol had him dangling just outside the jet door by the straps of a parachute bag.

"Looks like I'll be seeing you brother," Kol said then released him and Klaus could only throw his hands out in hopes of grabbing something, but he caught nothing but air.

The speed at which he fell was unnerving, him having only come back to life not but moments ago. Still, he managed to gain his wits about himself and pull the cord at the proper time. As he sailed through the air, he watched the jet carry on its journey with unsuppressed anger.

He now knew what Caroline intended to do, and the kiss he had longed for was given to him as a farewell. His first thought was that Kol didn't know what was about to happen and second, was how Kol would never believe Klaus, should he somehow manage to tell him.

* * *

Elijah had awoken to the must horrific sight he every seen, his beloved Katerina, the girl he loved since he'd first set his eye's upon her, was dead. She lay facing him, her wide dead eye's staring at him, accusing him of not protecting her. For the first time in his life, he felt like he knew true pain.

He rushed to her side, cradling her in his arms as he looked around the room for any sign of Rebekah, there was none, only the blackened heart of his beloved lay on the floor near him. Gently he closed her eye's, he took in the full view of her gray corpse. Even in death, he found her beautiful and knew that no one would ever capture his heart the way Katerina Petrova had done.

Standing he walked to the sofa to lay her down, then he took her heart from the floor and placed it in her hands. He stood back to fully take in the fact that she was gone, and that he would never see her eye's flashing in mischief again.

There were no other sounds in the house, meaning that Rebekah has been gone for some time. He knew where they were going, all he needed to do as warn Niklaus. He quickly typed a message, not wishing to speak to his brother, who would likely take pleasure in knowing their sister had finally got rid of Katerina.

He needed to follow Niklaus as quickly as possible, for now, he would place Katerina's body in the coffin, Niklaus kept him in the basement. When he returned he would escort her body back to Bulgaria, where her own family lay buried.

* * *

The drive to the airport didn't take long, not with Enzo driving. He had one thing on his mind and one thing only, and that was to make sure that Caroline was safe. To do this he needed to track her down. The two had been together not but two weeks ago when she had got the phone call about her beloved's life being in danger. He was supposed to be kept in the loop, but somewhere along the way, Caroline seemed to have just forgotten him. Well, that's what he'd thought until he reached the airport.

His phone beeped signaling a message. Checking it, he smiled in glee and Rebekah took notice of the change.

"Who's it from?" She asked, peering at the phone in curiosity.

Enzo grinned. "Looks like we have a change in our headings." He quickly scanned the board for planes leaving to Canada, seeing one that was leaving soon he made his way to the desk to purchase tickets."Get ready, Love were heading up north."

"Canada, what's up there?" Rebekah muttered to herself but followed behind Enzo without question.

"Hell if I know, but if she's heading up north, then I'm going too," Enzo informed, then took a glance at her. "You still coming?"

Rebekah looked up at him with a grin. "I've come this far, haven't I?"

"Well then, let's get this adventure under way, shall we?." Enzo grinned.


	11. Chapter 11

_**I do not own any of the** **characters** _

* * *

Kol sat twisting the dagger, his eye's focusing on the detail of the handle. Caroline sat in front of him watching his every move. She had been sitting silent since he dropped Nik from the plane, but he knew she was dying to ask him something.

"Just ask, whatever it is you're dying to ask love." He promoted, his gaze flickering up to meet her gaze for just a second, before returning to the dagger in his grip.

"Does it hurt, being dagger like that." It was an honest question, Caroline had never been dagger like the rest of them and as long as he lived, he'd do everything in his power to make sure it never happened to her. "It's just, your eye's they showed so much pain."

"It doesn't hurt as much as the feeling of betrayal, as someone you trust drives a dagger into your heart." Everything his brothers had dagger him, Kol had looked deep into their eye's. Each time he had tried to convey to them without words the pain they caused him, but they had never cared and still didn't.

"Can't we destroy it, then it can never be used against you again." Caroline's eye's the dagger, ready to burn it at a moments notice.

Kol was grateful for Caroline, she was always there when he needed her most. There was only so much family betrayal one person could handle. "No, afraid not, darling, but I'm giving it to you. I trust you'll put it somewhere safe." He said, holding it out for her to take. He had already entrusted Caroline with the white oak dagger that could kill them, so why not have her hide the dagger that could temporarily kill them too.

Caroline took the dagger from him with care. "I'll make sure it's never found again." She promised as she put it in her bag for now until she could hide it away at a later date. "I've messaged my friend Enzo, seems he and Rebekah have become quite the team since we left Mythic Falls."

"Oh?" Caroline hadn't mentioned her new friend to him.

"He's someone I saved some time after you left me last, we've been traveling buddies since, I think the pair of you shall get on quite well." They'd be landing soon, the pilot's voice had rang out over the intercom sometime ago to inform them of their upcoming landing.

Kol gave a hum in response, he genuinely got along with anyone Caroline befriended, but with what was going at the moment, he wasn't to open to adding another the pursuit of the cure. Add in the fact that his sister, the one who was obsessed with being human again was tagging along, Kol couldn't see their trip ending well.

"It will be okay." Kol smiled, Caroline always had a knack for picking up when he was worrying over something. She moved to sit next to him, laying her head on his shoulder, his arm on instinct wrapped around her, pulling her closer. He felt when the jet began to descend.

"It will be okay." He said, but he didn't believe it for one second and as the wheels touched the ground, all he could wish for was that him and Caroline were on their way to Italy, instead of a place that held something that could lead to their deaths.

* * *

It was by complete chance that she'd come across Klaus. They flew to Canada, then Caroline had sent the location of where they were to meet, Enzo had wanted to stop off, and fed before they continued on. They'd just pulled up to a Bar, knowing they'd find an easy meal.

"Nik?" Rebekah asked when he appeared out of the darkness.

Klaus turned at the sound of her voice, and Rebekah could tell that he was extremely irritated and the none of the people in the bar would survive the rest of the night. Enzo, Rebekah was thankful, was still inside and was waiting for her to join him.

"Little sister, I thought you were handling things back at home?" Klaus said, though he was pleased to see her as he would need as much help as he could get if he was to reach Caroline in time. "But no matter, I have things to discuss, lets us go inside," Klaus said, then turned on heel, leaving Rebekah to follow him.

Following behind him, she managed to meet Enzo eye's from across the bar. Other than turning away, he sat on the opposite side of the bar.

Klaus took a seat in a booth, a waitress came for their order no sooner had they sat down. Rebekah shook her head when asked if she'd like something. "Bourbon neat," Klaus said, and the waitress hurried off to get his drink.

"I thought you were with Caroline and Kol?" She asked, ignoring the waitress as she placed the drink in front of Klaus.

Klaus growled. "I was until Caroline broke my neck and Kol threw me from the plane." Rebekah grimaced, imagining falling from such a height, must have taken some time to heal. As if Klaus could tell what she was thinking, he continued on. "I was awake and when they dropped me, and one of them put me in a parachute while I was out." He informed, signaling the waitress only to compel her to bring the bottle.

"So then, What's the plan?" Knowing her brother he already had a plan of action set up and ready to go.

Klaus glared into his glass for some time, not giving her an answer. She began to worry and risked a glance around the room, hoping to spot Enzo. He was sat in a booth as far away from them as possible but was clearly listening in to very word that was spoken between the brother and sister.

"She'd going to die." Klaus voiced, and Rebekah in her confusion didn't know asked who? "Caroline!" He hissed his turning gold. "She intends to take the cure for herself, and me reunited with Henrik." Rebekah was speechless, and could only stare at Klaus. He was standing suddenly holding her by the throat. "I know, you're here because of Caroline, so tell me, Rebekah, where is she?" He growled.

Her eye's darted to where Enzo had been, only to find it empty and any trace of him gone along with. him. "He's leaving Nik." She managed to wheeze and her brother was gone and out the door before she had a chance to breathe again.

The other in bar inhabitants had taken notice and were trying to leave, but as Klaus re-entered with no Enzo at his side, she knew none would live past tonight. The scream would echo into the night, and no but the two originals would leave the bar.

* * *

He was speeding down the road, with no car in sight he took complete advantage of the clear open road ahead. The motorbike he'd stolen from the bar gave him a better chance of escape. He'd not bothered with the car when he escaped out the back, he saw the biker pull up and had compelled him to hand over the keys and had quickly taken off.

Enzo had recognized the man the moment he'd entered the bar, just ahead of Rebekah. This was Klaus Mikaelson, the man who had spent decades searching for Caroline. He enjoyed Rebekah's company, but he'd seen it on her face the moment she was drawn back onto Klaus's side, so he quickly left knowing he didn't want to deal with the hybrid.

Caroline trusted him with her location and if Klaus managed to catch him, then Caroline's whereabouts would be known. He'd enjoyed having a traveling companion again, it wasn't the same without Caroline, but Rebekah had been something new. She was the opposite of Caroline, and he'd found himself actually enjoying her tagging along.

He needed to reach Caroline and discuss the plan face to face, they would need to contact a witch to make sure the cloaking spell still held and then he'd need to find out if the original plan was still in place. Caroline had entrusted him with a mission and had allowed only him to know just what she intended to do.

'The Plan' The bike grew slightly slower as he ran it over and over again in his mind. The plan and the part which Caroline had entrusted him to do. The bike picked up speed once more, and the helmet hid the glint in his eyes. It didn't matter if he wasn't willing, for Caroline he would play his part and whatever the outcome, he would know that he had fulfilled his friends wish.

* * *

The cabin they were staying in was one that they'd built together, some hundred years ago. Caroline was quite fond of it, but she never stayed in any of their homes when she and Kol were separated. It felt wrong for her to be allowed to enjoy their home's while Kol lay trapped in a coffin somewhere. This place thou, this place was once of the few places that had only good memories.

They lived here for almost 15 years in peace, they'd even had a dog. 'Red' as Kol had named him was an Irish Terrier, Caroline looked to the small gathering of rocks that marked where'd they'd buried him. Kol had given him as a gift and Caroline had fallen in love with the small, scruffy pup the moment she laid her eye's upon him. He'd been fiercely loyal and Caroline had been distraught at his passing.

"Your thinking about Red." Caroline smiled as she turned to find Kol leaning against the front door.

"Yeah, best dog we ever had," Caroline said, looking back at the pile of rocks. "Hows it looking in there?" She leaned back against him when arms wrapped around her waist and a chin was placed on her shoulder.

"He was the only dog we ever had," Kol chuckled, but even he missed old Red after he died. "As for the cabin, it's as we left it, just covered in dust. Good thing you always cover everything up."

Caroline's laugh was light and carried on the wind. "And you always complain that I shouldn't bother to cover them up." She exhaled and the air from her lungs came out and twisted upwards towards the sky. With no electricity, they only had candles to light the cabin, but here outside the moon gave them plenty of light to see. "Enzo and Rebekah should be here by first light."

"Ah,"Kol breath was warm against her cheek. "So we only have a few hours alone then? Well then, we shouldn't let them go to waste." Caroline's laughter rang out throughout the forest as she was carried inside the small cabin.

Tomorrow, come sunlight they would set out to the island, and it was there that Caroline's plan would be set into action.


	12. Chapter 12

"Thank you again, Elijah."

"As I've said before, it was no problem, Elena," Elijah replies, glancing into the rearview mirror to see Elena cuddled into Damon's side, a content smile upon her lips. He finds himself looking at her every so often, wishing that it was his beautiful Katrina sitting in the back seat.

"Yeah, pretty nice of you to let us tag along as well," Damon began, blue eye's staring into the mirror at him. "Just what do you get out of Elena taking the cure?"

"I just wish for the cure not to fall into the wrong hands," Elijah told.

Stefan, who was sitting in the passenger seat across from Elijah seemed to pick up on something that Elijah was trying not to give away.

"You're are trying to stop someone else from taking the cure!" Elijah remained silent.

"So, who is it?" Damon asked after a moment's silence, to which Elena elbowed him.

"He clearly doesn't want to talk about it." She hissed.

"No," Elijah sighed. "You deserve to know what you'll be up against to win the cure." His eye's burned with a determination. "It is Caroline we will face when we reach our destination."

"Caroline?" Stefan asked. "Wasn't she the one who helped," He trailed off as he looked back at Elena. Her fists were clenched so hard that blood had begun to leak, and her eye's burned with a rage Stefan had never seen before.

Grip tight on the wheel Elijah continued as if no one had spoken. "Caroline will not be an easy opponent, she like the rest of my family has 1000 years of skill behind her. We know nothing of the training she has obtained, the only one who has seen what she can do is you, Elena. So, I ask, is there anything useful you can tell us about her?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you anything Elijah, the only thing I witnessed was her use of a gun." Elena sadly informed, wishing that she could help Elijah in some way.

"So we're about to go up against a 1000-year-old Barbie, doesn't sound too hard." Damon, cocky no matter the situation.

"It's not just Caroline we will have to go up against, Kol shall be at her side and Niklaus nor Rebekah will not let any harm come to her." The car grew quiet at the mention of who they would be against. They would have to face off against four originals, all which wanted to see at least one of them dead.

"So then," Damon once again cut the silence. "What's this plan?"

Elijah smirked. "Listen closely, because I'm not going to repeat myself!"

As Elijah explained to them the plan he had thought up, he decided to leave one thing out. Hidden safely away in a case was the single weapon that could kill an original. This white oak skate was special in a sense, as this shake was made from the tree that had grown from the scorched ground where Henrik's funeral pyre had stood.

Elijah believed that Henrik's essence remained in the tree and had given it life so that Caroline had away to rejoin him in the afterlife. Elijah would see to it that the two would be rejoined, and he would let nothing stand in his way.

* * *

They left the bar and had taken one of the cars that had been in the parking lot. They didn't have a location, but the had a direction which was more than enough for now. "It can't be true" Rebekah denied, not wanting to believe any of what Klaus had told her.

The sun gleaming in the horizon marked the time Caroline would be meeting with Enzo. "Believe what you will, but I'm going to make sure that any plan Caroline has for leaving this world is void, and then I'm going to dagger her until a time I'm sure there is no way for her to ever leave this land." Klaus snarled, not even turning to look at his sister.

The next few moments passed in silence as neither spoke. "You would really stop her from being with Him?" Rebekah's voice was little more than a whisper, yet Klaus heard each word clearly. He knew exactly who she was referring too.

He didn't answer at first, just continued to drive, his hand clenched tightly to the steering wheel. Finally, his grip loosened with a sigh. "Henrik is gone," Klaus emphasized. "And Caroline is all that we have left of him. Caroline keeps Henrik alive, if she's gone then Henrik will," He faltered. "Then Henrik will truly cease to exist."

Rebekah knew her brother like no one else, she could tell when there was something on his mind, and right now, he was in pain. "Nik, I'm not sure if you want to save Caroline to keep the memory of Henrik alive, or because you love her."

Klaus stiffened. "Rebekah!" The warning clear in his voice that he didn't want her to continue, but when had Rebekah ever listened to his warnings.

"I know, that you only choose Tatia because you couldn't take Caroline from Henrik, and I know that when we turned, you thought that maybe this was your chance. When she ran, I knew you wanted nothing more than to follow her, but you let her have the space she needed, and I know you'd not planned on Kol having feelings for her."

"Stop." Klaus pleaded, not wanted to hear anymore, he could see where she was going and he didn't want to think about it.

"But Kol aside," Rebekah carried on as if he'd not interrupted. "If he's really waiting for her if Henrik has been waiting all this time, can you really stand in her way?" Her voice broke at the end, as a pair of tears raced down her cheeks.

Some time went by before a single tear slid down from his warm, dark blue eyes, followed by another one, and another one, until soon, a steady stream of salty tears flowed it's way down his pale cheek, releasing the sadness and sorrow that has been held inside of him for all this time but still he did not make a sound.

* * *

When the first specks of sunlight flickered into the room, Caroline knew that it was time to rise. Kol, still asleep was unaware that she had removed herself from the bed. She felt hesitant to leave his side, but Enzo would be arriving shortly and if she intended to go through with her original plan then she would need to be able to speak with Enzo freely.

A sense of betrayal lingered in each movement as she redressed. Each article of clothing resembled a step of her plan, a plan Kol had no knowledge of. Dressed entirely, her gaze lingered on the Kol, knowing that she may never have the opportunity to see him like this again.

Eyelids closed in the dim light of the rising sun, his eyelashes casting shadows. Innocence which Kol no longer possessed showed on his sleeping face. He looked peaceful and no worry from the outside world seemed to have reached him. Content to leave him in his peaceful slumber, she ventured outside to await their guest.

Stepping outside, she allowed the fresh gentle air to caress her skin. Through the tree's, she could make out the rising sun. Golden light spilled out over the land, casting a magnificent image. The earth which had gone to sleep with the rising of the moon, now awake with the sun.

A whoosh of air alerted her to the arrival of Enzo. He stopped just short of the little grove, he was alone and had been running for some time. He grinned in delight when he eye's landed upon her form. Striding forwards, she welcomed him with open arms, and he was quick to embrace her.

"This is the first time, I ever parted from you." He whispered, truly happy to be back in her company. Having not been apart from her since she saved him back in 1958, Enzo for the first time since meeting Caroline had known fear. The fear of abandonment had slowly been eating him apart, now back with her once more, he felt free from all the fear he had carried over the last few days. "You know," He pulled back to look at her. "I thought for a moment that you'd forgotten me."

Her eyes which were blue, not the ordinary sky blue, no her eyes were blue like the sea, crystal clear blue- shimmering and crashing and churning. Looking into her eyes you could hear the waves crash upon the coast, and it was in these eye's that Enzo could see the truth. Caroline had not forgotten him, in fact, she seemed greatly insulted that he could have thought such a thing.

"I do not forget, Lorenzo." For Enzo, those simple few words were all he needed to put him at easy.

"So, what's the plan?".

* * *

Laying awake, Kol listened to every detail of the plan, a plan that would lead to Caroline leaving his side forever. He'd known for a while now of what Caroline intended to do, but he'd tried to con himself into believing that she wouldn't leave him.

Listening in to what was about to happen he slowly began to form his own plan. Reaching for his phone on the bedside table he flicked down to a number Caroline had added when she gifted him the phone.

He typed a message and let his finger hover over the send button, it was only when Caroline finished telling her plan did he hit the send button. He could only hope that she'd forgive him for what was about to happen, and he wondered how long it would take for the others to get to the location he'd added in the message.

Hearing their approach he decide it was time to finally get up and start the day.


	13. Chapter 13

The beeping of a phone alerted the owner of the phone to the arrival of a message. Tanned hands coated by rings of gold picked up the phone and clicked the message open. The person clicked their tongue as they read over what had been sent, when they finally finished reading they threw the phone back onto the table with curse.

"Hey, you guys, get your shit together." He called as he grabbed a jacket from the back of a stool. " Seems we got ourselves a mission." Standing at only 5'9 he was of average height, he was also quite plain looking when compared to the male celebrities of the world, but his most striking feature were his eye's. The left eye shone a bright blue, mixed with flecks of gold and the right was coloured a mixer of green and brown. It hadn't always been that colour but had changed after he'd turned.

He looked up to see a figure jump over the banister from the upstairs area and land just inches away from him. "You for real, since when do we take missions?" The voice sounded feral and seemed to go well when you took in the appearance of the person it belonged too. Stunning firefly red hair and pricing green eye's, if one looked close enough the pupils appeared to look very car like.

"I don't recall ever going on a mission." A soft whispery voice spoke as another person appeared at the top of the stairs, the voice clearly belonged to that of a small girl. They were covered head to toe in a long dark green flowing cloak and none of their facial feature could be seen what so ever. "It seems we are missing someone?"

"No, that idiot was the one who got the message and already took off. I'm sure the other's will have been alerted as well, but just to be safe I'm gonna call it in." The man spoke turning back to retrieve the phone he'd thrown on the table seconds ago.

"Who needs them, if it's us who got the call why do we need to let them join in?" The red head asked, swinging open a door to reveal guns of all shapes and sizes. "Now which of you wants to come with Mommy?" She chucked letting her fingers run over the black steel.

"You know if it was the other way around and they left us out you wouldn't be pleased." The soft voice spoke again as she descended down the stairs.

"Whatever, Here" The hooded figure caught the item mid-air without looking at the other as they passed. "Been a long time since that thing saw daylight, you sure you still know how to handle it?"

Case clutched to her chest, the girl stopped dead in her tracks. "I have not forgotten my training, and anyone who dares to think me weak," She giggles. "Well, I don't need to worry, not when I know you got my back!"

The redhead grins, her white teeth full on display. "Your damn right, I got your back, Kid."

Under the cloak, the child grins.

"Well, we got our orders, were heading out now." The man says flashing into the room with a case of his own.

"So, who has hired us for this so-called mission?" The red head asks, as she swings on the trench coat that she's strapped her guns into too. The man throws the phone to her and she catches and lets her eye's run over the message on screen. Her eye's narrow, as she looks back at the man. "So it's time?"

The man glances at the small hooded figure who stand to wait for an answer also. "Yeah, that's why he left in such a hurry."

The red head hiss's as she throws the phone back to the man, " Let's go!"

The door slams shut as the three leave the little house they'd been living in, there's no time to waste, they may be small in numbers, but they will not allow anyone to get in the way of their sire, they will each fight to the death to protect the one who gave them life, they will protect Caroline with everything they have, at all costs.

* * *

When they walked back to the cabin, Kol was up and standing in the doorway watching them approach. Caroline lit up at the sight him, and Enzo finally witnessed the effect Kol had on her. He watched as she became a different person right before his eyes, and he wondered how she could want to leave someone that made her smile the way she was smiling now.

Even as Kol leaned in the kiss her his eye's never ventured from Enzo. It was now Enzo could see just what the other's had meant when the mentioned Kol Mikaelson. His very being screamed danger, and he felt as though he could see his own death in those cool dark eye's.

"Enzo, don't just stand there, come over and say hello," Caroline said, noticing that Enzo hadn't moved.

Striding forward he held out his hand for the other man to take. "Enzo." He told waiting for Kol to take his hand, or at least do something.

Kol stared at the outheld hand for a second longer than necessary, knowing that he was scaring Enzo the longer he didn't waited. Finally with a grin he shook the offer hand, making sure to put a extra bit of strength into. "Kol." He told before letting go.

"Kol,"Caroline said, slapping his shoulder playfully. "Play nice."

Kol chuckled. "Come on in, mate. You can tell me about what and this one, have been up too." Kol called, leading Caroline inside by throwing an arm over her shoulder.

Feeling the change in the atmosphere, Enzo followed behind the two with a grin of his own. "Oh, I've got some good stories about this one." Caroline shot him at glare, which made both Kol and Enzo laugh.

"Oh, do tell," Kol said, pulling Caroline onto his lap as he sat on one of the kitchen chairs.

"Well..."Enzo began.

* * *

"It's not right and you know it." They stopped for a quick break, they needed fuel and Elena wanted to drink some fresh blood while she had the chance. Stefan had pulled his brother aside before he could follow the girl and he felt as if he'd been trying to get Damon to break the sire bond, for what felt like a lifetime.

"Now's not the right time, brother. Right now, all that's holding her together is her sire bond to me. Besides, once she'd human the sire bond will be broken, why can't we just wait till then?" Damon asked, looking like his plan was foul proof.

Of course Stefan wanted to argue, but Elena choose that moment to exit the small shop, her mouth covered in blood. Stefan seeing this, flashing into the shop to see the damage done. Three bodies lay on the floor, one that of a young boy who looked no older than 12. Stefan felt sick, even as a ripper he'd never had the blood of a child on his hands, yet Elena had taken the life so easily.

"Well, what's the damage?" Damon said, appearing behind him.

Stefan turned in a fury and had his brother pinned to the nearest wall. "Do you see what you've done to her? You think that when's she's human and she remembers this moment, that she'll be okay with what she's done?" Stefan hissed adding more pressure.

Damon merely grinned looking to the dead body of the woman that he could see. "It's only a woman Stef, she'll get over it."

Stefan backed away in disgust, before going to where the boy lay. The boys face was frozen in utter terror, and Stefan knowing that he couldn't do anything else for boy closed his eye's ad placed him next to the woman who was obviously his mother. He felt Damon's stare on him as he stood back up, wiping the blood off on his trousers. "She killed a child Damon, you think she'll get over that?" Stefan told before pushing passed his brother, who continued to stare at the scene before him. #

Back outside Elena was contently licking the blood off her hands, while Elijah looked on in confusion before a look of knowing set in upon his face. He glanced at Stefan as if to tell him he knew, but Stefan merely sat back into the car without a word. Elijah followed his example and got back into the drivers seat, while Elena stood leaning against the back of the car waiting for Damon to rejoin them.

After some time Stefan wondered just what he was up to too before Damon came striding out of the little shop holding something small in his hand. At first Stefan didn't care what it was until he watched as Damon threw it back at the shop and watch as the place ignited in a blast of fire. He could only watch speechless as Damon climbed back into the car.

Once in the back of the car Damon turned to Elena and gently brushed his hand across her cheek. "I want you to forget all about what happened here, can you do that, for me?" Damon asked.

Elena stared at him lovely and nodded. "Of course, I've already forgotten it." She told him, leaning forward to kiss him gently on the lips.

"Damon, you can't just make her forget what she's done." Stefan turned to glare at his brother, as Elijah started the car.

"Forget what Stefan?" Elena turned to look at Stefan with a look of confusion, clearly not knowing what he was talking about.

Stefan was in shock, the sire bond was working like a compulsion. It would make Elena do anything Damon said, even forget something if Damon wanted her too.

Even Damon seemed shocked by the news. "Nothing, he's talking about nothing," Damon reassured Elena, she looked at him for only a moment before leaning against him, content to let him run his fingers through her hair.

Stefan looked on in shock, he turned to Elijah, but he had his eye's trained firmly on the road ahead and made it known that he'd be no help to Stefan. Turning around in his chair, Stefan decided the only thing he could do, was make sure that Elena took the cure and turned back to normal and he'd make sure Elena got the cure with or without Damon help.

* * *

They been talking for hours, and day had become night, yet this meant nothing to the three occupying the small cabin. Stories had been shared, and Enzo swore he'd never seen Caroline laugh as much as she had done in the last few hours.

They were dancing in the kitchen and it was the simplest of dances, yet Enzo had never seen Caroline look more happy then she did dancing around the room in Kol's arms. The tune Caroline was humming, Enzo had heard of, but Kol was whispering to her seemed to make her brighten even more.

"If I had words to make a day for you, I'd sing you a morning golden and true. I would make this day last for all time...then fill the night deep in moonshine." Kol whispered the words to Caroline, Kol sent him a grin over Caroline's shoulder as he continued to dance with her. Enzo could hear a man singing the words in the back of his head and began to hum along to the words.

He couldn't place it, but then he imagined it must be from one of the many movies Caroline had forced him to watch with her. Watching them dance, Enzo decided that this moment right now would be how he would remember Caroline when she was gone, not them travelling across the world, but in the arms of the man she loved.

Unbeknownst to any in the cabin, a figure stood outside in the forest hidden in the dark, their eye's trained solely on the dancing pair.


	14. Chapter 14

"My dear friend, I leave you slumbering once more, in the hope that one day we will be reunited." Caroline spoke softly, as she sat in front of Red's grave. She been sat here for quite awhile, having left Kol and Enzo to bond. She knew her time was nearing its end, and that they'd need to leave within the next hour. So, she'd decided to take the chance and give Red her farewell.

"Hey, you ready to go?" Caroline heard Enzo call from behind her. His footsteps sounding heavy, as he crossed the forest floor.

Standing, she dusts the dirt from her jeans. "Yeah, I'm just about ready. Just wanted to have a few moments to myself." She tells him as he comes to stand next to her.

"Oh?" He says and looks down to see what's she been kneeling before. "A grave? Who"

Caroline's lips twitch, knowing that he thinks that it's some vampire or human she'd buried. "My dog." She see's his frown. "He was very important to me." She looks to the small gathering of rocks, that are the only proof that he lay beneath the soil.

"What did he do that made you love him so much, that even now you think of him?" Enzo inquired, bending down to look more closely at the gathering of rocks. "These rocks, they aren't from here."

"No, when he died there was nothing to mark where he lay, and thou I'd never forget where I'd laid him, I did not want him to be forgotten. As for what he did to make me love him so much, he simply loved me as much as I loved him." Caroline revealed, her eye's meeting Enzo's as he looked up at her from where he knelt.

"You know I would do anything for you, Caroline?" He said standing.

"Of course I do, and I know what I'm about to do is hurting you."

"Then stop this madness! Don't just throw your life away, please!" He pleaded reaching to grasp her hands in his own.

"The path that I walk has never been easy," Caroline explained. "And you who has so much to live for can not understand the burden I carry."

"Then tell me, tell me so that I can stop this crazy plan you've concocted." He cried. "Tell me and the adventure never has to end."

"There is nothing you can do to change my mind." Caroline said sadly, Yet Enzo refused to listen.

"And Kol, he loves you and you clearly love him. Can you honestly tell me that you can just die, leaving him behind all alone?"

Caroline shook her head in denial. "You can't understand, a vow made by the heart is an unbreakable promise."

Enzo shook his head as he stepped away from her. "Promise or not, I will not allow you to go through with this."

"You don't have a choice!" Where the last words he heard from her before his neck was snapped from behind.

"Geez," The newcomer said, as they stepped over Enzo's body which now lay on the forest floor. "You really should have just stuck to the plan." The male spoke, looking down and nudging Enzo with the heel of his boot. He then looked up to meet Caroline gaze. "This is why you don't use anyone who's not from your own sire line, " He said, displaying a smirk that could rival the devil.

"Charlie!" Caroline laughed as he rushed to her and picked her up i a hug. He swung her from side to side as he inhaled her old, yet familiar scent. "What brings you here?" She questioned when he set her back on her feet.

"I gave him a call." She turned to look at Kol. She suddenly felt speechless and her mouth opened and closed without any words coming out. "It's okay, I think I've known for a while." Not knowing what else to do she threw herself at him, and finally let herself cry. Kol nodded to Charlie as he cradled her close. "The other's on their way?"

Caroline pulled away to look back at Charlie. "They know?"

"They're all on their way, they'll meet us at the island," Charlie informed. "They're not angry, if that's what your thinking."

"I probably won't get to say goodbye." Caroline sadly voiced as she leaned further into Kol's embrace, her tears had stopped for now.

"I'm sure a letter will be more than enough." Kol voiced.

"A letter?" Caroline repeated, unsure and looked to Charlie.

"I'm sure a letter would mean the world to them."

"I'm guessing they'd be here, only you ran as soon as Kol contacted you."

Charlie grinned. "You'd be right. So," He drawled looking down to where Enzo's body still lay. "What we gonna do about this guy?"

* * *

He came back to life with a gasp. He'd been brought back to the cabin and after looking around he knew Caroline and Kol were long gone. Looking down he noted that they chained him to the bed and he wondered, just where they been hiding the chains?

A letter stood on the bedside table with his name on it. It was written in Caroline's hand, a letter asking him not to follow her or maybe a goodbye letter? If she thought a letter would stop him from following her then she needed to remember who he was, and the things that he stood for.

Enzo loved Caroline, not in the same way Kol loved her, but she the only person he considered family. If she thought that he was going to lay here and wait for someone to come back, then she'd be in for a surprise. What he hadn't thought of, was that Caroline had probably already thought of his escape and made sure that it wouldn't be possible for him to get loose. He'd need someone to undo the chains.

"Well, well, I wasn't expecting a wrapped gift," Klaus said, standing in the doorway with Rebekah peeking over his shoulder to get a look at Enzo bound on the bed. "This wouldn't happen to be the person you were telling me about, would it?" Klaus asked, stepping aside to let his sister pass by him into the room.

"So clever you are, Nik," Rebekah said, taking a seat on the end of the bed. "Enzo here knows everything Caroline has planned."

"Oh? Does he now? Well, Enzo, I'm sure that we can help you out of your little bind, that is if you give us the location of Caroline."

"I'll give you want, but I want something in return." Enzo countered, catching Klaus by surprise.

"We could always just compel you to tell us everything." Rebekah pointed out, knowing that Enzo knew what they could do.

"I'm on vervain, and by the time you drain it out of me Caroline will have taken the cure and died." Enzo proclaimed.

Klaus acknowledged that if he wanted the information he wanted, he'd need to pay whatever price Enzo was asking. "What do you want?" Klaus asked, clearly wanting to hurry their conversation along.

"Take me with you," Both brother and sister hadn't been expecting this. "I don't want Caroline to die anymore then you do, I know what she plans to do."

"She plans to die," Klaus said, already knowing.

Enzo nodded. "Yes, I tried to talk her out of it and this is what happened."

"Caroline did this?" Rebekah asked amused.

"No," Enzo began. "There was someone else, they snapped my neck. It wasn't Kol, but someone else."

"Who?"

"I don't know! Whoever they are, they're in on the plan, because as soon as I mentioned not going through with the plan they snapped my neck."

"If there are others helping them, then we need to move quickly, Nik," Rebekah said, looking to her brother.

"Set him free, we leave now!" Klaus growled as he stormed from the cabin back into the forest.

His rage knew no bounds as he slammed into the sounding tree's, he ripped the bark from the trucks and ripped one tree straight from the soil in his rage, it's then he saw it.

A grave marked with stones, like they had done in the old days. It was the work of Caroline he knew, for Kol would never give anyone friend or foe a burial with such respect. He felt like no other consume him and threw the stones from the grave and began digging up the earth. He would let whoever laid buried feel his waft, he would break their bones and when he found Caroline he would show her what she'd made him do in his rage.

He fell to his knee's and had been about to start digging, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"It's her dog." He looked over his shoulder to see Enzo and Rebekah. "He's one of the few things that she's loved, throughout her lifetime." He didn't say anymore, hoping that would be enough to stop Klaus. It was, he could never destroy something that Caroline loved, no matter how much he wanted too. "It's best we leave now, were already behind on time. If we want any chance of saving Caroline then we need to leave now."

He looked at the grave for a second longer than needed before he stood. "Lead the way." He said and listened as the whooshed away leaving him alone for a moment. "Who would have thought I'd be jealous of a dog." He remarked before he sped away.

Unknown to Klaus as he sped away one of the rocks fell from the pile, it turned over displaying something that no one other then Caroline knew. The number of rocks that Caroline had gathered for the grave, was the number of people she loved in the world. On each rock, she'd craved a name and the one that had fallen displayed only one name.

Niklaus

* * *

His phone beeps signaling a message from Niklaus, who has been giving him directions. Elijah has not informed his brother of his plans or the people he's brought along with him. Niklaus has unknowingly been giving Elijah details that he will use against him.

Having swapped with Stefan some time ago, he is free to check the message. He reads it quickly, not wanting anyone else in the car to see what has been written. Once he has finished reading, he places his phone back into his pocket. There is no need to tell the others what has been written. They will stay on the course they'd already set, and hopefully catch up with Caroline on time.

* * *

Enzo had told them where it was Caroline was heading, and they'd chosen to take the car that Klaus and Rebekah had brought with them. The brother and sister took the two front seats, while Enzo made himself comfy in the back. Seeing that both sibling were occupied with something, he decided to take the chance and read the letter Caroline had left behind for him.

'Dear Enzo,

I can never really say the things I want to say out loud, so maybe by writing it in a letter, you will better understand why it is that I can't let you stop me.

I have lost count of the time I have wished for death to embrace me and take me to where it is Henrik has gone. I once had a dream, where Henrik and I had never parted. Even though I knew it was a dream, I did not wish to wake from it. When I did awake, I had not woken from a nightmare, but had woken into a nightmare, one which I could never escape.

Now with the chance of escape finally within my grasp, I can not let it go so easily. So know this Enzo, all I've ever wanted in my life is to share adventures with the people I love, and I've done that. I'm finally ready to be free, and I hope that someday you can forgive me.

Your Friend

Caroline'

He sat looking out the window after reading the letter, a million thoughts going through his mind. He gave a sign as he leaned further back in his seat. 'It's you I hope forgives me, Caroline. It doesn't matter what you write because I'll never allow you to die.' He thought as he watched the trees pass by in a blur.


	15. Chapter 15

The boat ride over to the island was tense. They had been hours behind Caroline, but with the boat that Enzo had procured Klaus was sure that they were catching up. Since they hit the water they had been travelling at such a speed that there was no doubt in any of them that they wouldn't catch up.

What they hadn't been planning on. was the small plane flying above them. It was small in size, and built so that it could land on the water. Klaus took notice of it the moment the small aircraft had descended towards them. He was curious to whom was piloting the aircraft hoping that it would somehow be Elijah, it was made abundantly clear that was not the case when the door to plane opened and a wave of red hair appeared.

The plan flew as low as it possibly could without landing and Klaus took note that there were others seated in the aircraft. The red haired woman grinned at them hanging out the door, as the plane sped along side them. "Klaus Mikaelson?" She shouted, and Klaus thanked Elijah for spending a plane ahead. The Irish accent did seem odd, but such things didn't matter right now.

"Yes, now hurry and land the damn plane so we can get abroad." Klaus shouted, giving Enzo a nod to stop the boat. It was then he noticed how Enzo was looking at the woman as if he knew her. "What's wrong?"

"I know her face, I've seen it somewhere?" Enzo said, trying to remember where he'd seen the striking female before.

"Nik!" Rebekah suddenly screaming his name causing Klaus to look back at the woman who smirked his way and it was then he noticed that she now armed with a weapon, a 'Airtronic RPG-7' to be exact. He had no time to react as she waved to him an sent the grenade there way, but thankfully Enzo managed to doge it, the boat still took damage but they wouldn't sink.

"Hey, don't worry so much, " The woman called, laugher echoing in her voice. "We know you can't die, were just making sure we give Caroline a bigger head start."

"You, Bitch. She'll die if we don't reach her in time!" Rebekah shouted, skin healing from where the heat had burned the side of her face.

The red head looked over her shoulder to those still in the plane. Klaus could make out her asking someone what they wanted to do? She nodded and then turned back to him. "Were going ahead, if we happen to run into each other again, I won't miss." She grinned, her teeth gleaming white in the sunlight.

The door closed and the plane began to gain speed once more clearly intending to leave the boat behind and with the damage done to the boat there was no way for them to reach the island on time.

"Damn it!" Klaus roared, slamming his fist into the side of the ship knocking more of the burnt metal into the water.

"Hey, clam down" Rebekah said, placing what she hoped would be a calming hand on his shoulder. "You said Elijah was coming from the other side of the island so that we could come in from both sides, right?" He nodded. "Then Elijah will be there to stop her, we just got to do what we can so as to pick up the speed."

Klaus's eye's suddenly lit. "Hand me that box." He said to Rebekah, as he striped off his jacket and threw it away.

"You know how to use any of those tools?" Enzo said when he say what Klaus intended to do.

Klaus grinned at him. "You don't live for a thousand years without picking up some tricks."

* * *

Elijah frowned as he listened to Niklaus explain just what had happened to him. It appeared that things would not be as easy as he had hoped, though it hadn't been easy before. People whom neither he nor Niklaus knew now stood in their was, and it would appear from Niklaus's account that they were skilled and had the woman wanted too, she could have blown up the boat with no problem.

The shore of the island was just within reach when he caught sound of the plane. "He glanced up to the sky, but did not find it and wondered if it was flying just beyond his line of vision. "We'll need to spilt up, it seems we have some unwanted guests." Elijah informed them as he jumped from the boat into the sallow water and walked to the nearest tree to tie the boat off.

"And, why should we do that?" Damon asked helping Elena onto dry land so as she didn't get wet.

"Thanks." She whispered, placing a quick kiss to his lips.

Elijah choose to ignore the the display. "Because we don't know how many there may be, and it will be easier to pick them off if we face them one on one. You may go with a Elena if you think she needs the protection." Elijah said as a after note.

"I can go alone," Elena said before Damon could answer for her. "I'm sure with the training I've had I can handle anything they come at me with." She reassured Damon when he looked uncomfortable with the idea.

"You and I can spread out, but still be within reach of each other. " Damon said after careful thought.

"Let's just get this over with. " Stefan said, tracking off into the forest alone before anyone could say anything.

Elijah took one look at the couple before he too flashed away in search of Caroline and the location of the cure.

"Are you sure about this?" Damon asked, holding Elena's hand.

"You mean about meaning human?" Elena asked. "Yeah, I'm not cut out for this but I want you to know that the way I feel for you, won't change," Elena reassured.

Damon smiled, but inside he didn't believe her. He hoped that Caroline would somehow get the cure before any of them could reach it.

"Okay, let's go."

Splitting up, they stayed just within eyesight of each other when they heard the plane over head. They heard the conversation between Elijah and Klaus, and knew at once that the other's they would meet had arrived. What they hadn't been expecting was for people to literally drop from the sky before them.

Elena held her hand up as the dust blew into her face, once the dust had cleared she looked at the scene before her. The earth was cracked and a black case now stood, sticking out of the earth and standing a top of the case was a small figure.

Wrapped in a cloak, Elena wasn't able to make out the features of the person. Another figure stood next to the case and he, Elena could see just fine. A dark skinned man with simple features, but he held such odd looking eye's. One eye was half green and the other half brown, while the other eye was a bright blue in colour. A strange combination.

"Yo, The doppelgänger right," The man asked leaning on the case, as the smaller figure fell to sit on the top of the case.

Damon appeared at her side, looking at the new comers. "Who the hell are you? And what the hell is that?" He said, staring at the two with disdain and eyeing the case with curiosity.

The man blinked, clearly having not expected to run into the both of them. "Oh, Looks like someone is gonna miss out." He said, and the cloak figured nodded in response. "You want to handle these two alone?"

The smaller person slipped from the case onto the ground, and it was then that you could really notice the height difference. At just under 5 foot, the cloaked figure was small in both size and build and neither Damon or Elena thought that the person could do very much.

The man, on the other hand, seemed to believe that his parter would have no problem taking on both vampires.

"Step back, Nat. Your not my usual partner, so you'll only get in my way." A young girls voice came from beneath the cloak.

Elena frowned she'd never thought someone would change someone so young into a vampire, but she couldn't be sure of the age, being that the only part of her that could be seen was her tiny bare feet which were now brown from the soil.

Nat grinned as he stepped back and quickly flashed up the nearest tree, to watch from above. "It's all yours, Eve. Just remember, we're only to keep them here until Annie gives the signal."

Damon eye's flicker to both as he watched them and when he seen the girl reaching to pull the case from where it was stuck, he growled watching as she pulled it free from the earth with no effort at all. Elena decided to take a chance and flashed forward and before Damon could even warn her, she'd been thrown back into the trees as the girls hit her with the case.

"Elena!" He shouted, staying still least he give the girl Eve the chance to attack.

"I'm good." She called back, out of breath. "Be careful that thing weighs a ton, I think she broke a few ribs." She said, holding her chest and grimacing at the pain.

"If you just stay here, then we won't need to fight," Eve spoke her voice soft and melodies.

Damon grinned, clearly amused at what Eve had said. "Look, kid, we're taking that cure," He took a step forward. "You're going to die today, so if you want it to be quick just stand still."

Click

Damon clenched his teeth as he watched Eve open the case. It was twice her size and of slim built, yet whatever it contained was heavy. When she revealed what she'd had inside it wasn't anything Damon had been expecting.

"A spear?" Elena questioned, looking at the look spear like a weapon from where she sat leaning against the tree she'd hit.

"A 'Hsu Quandao' if you want it use terms," Eve corrected, swirling the weapon above her head creating a type of wind tunnel around herself. "It was crafted so that only I could ever wield it." Eva announced, before lowering herself into a battle stance, pointing the blade at Damon. The weapon was at least 7 feet in length, the handle was made of some kind of black metal and the blade at the top was cured with the patten of a lotus on it. "Shall we begin?"

* * *

Elijah glanced up at sky line, and knew that whoever had been on the plane had dropped onto the island. They had made their entrance very loud, there had been four landings in total. He couldn't say if they had dropped in teams or if each landing had been the sound of one person alone. Thankfully, he was no where near where they had dropped and he could carry out his plan, while still being on the look out encase anyone did turn up.

If all went well then Caroline would die sometime today.


	16. Chapter 16

Stefan kept his eye's focused on the person before him. The first crash had unsettled him, and he'd barely had any time time over what could have made such a noise when one another loud crash happened much nearer to where he had been standing. Flashing to the scene, he watched as a man walked out of what appeared to be a crater in the earth.

The man stopped when he caught sight of Stefan, then preceded to nod to him. "Stefan Salvatore." The man spoke in a heavy Russian accent. "You were not the target I had hoped for, but I guess you're better than nothing."

"Oh?" Stefan titled his head upwards as he looked over the man. "And just who was it you were hoping for?"

The Russian grinned. "It doesn't matter anymore. Your the one I got, and until I get the signal I can't let you out of my sight."

"Just who are you? And why have you come to this island?"

"My name is Victor, and as to why I am here? I guess I can tell you," Victor said with a shrug. "We are all here for one reason, and one reason only."

"Caroline," Stefan said, already knowing the who they were her for.

Victor snapped his finger and pointed to Stefan, a grin having appeared on the bald man face. "Yes! You see Caroline is very important to each of us. She saved us, took care us, she gave each of us what we wanted and never asked for anything in return."

"What did she give you?"

Victor looked off to the side for only a second before his gaze snapped back to Stefan. "Russia has very cold weather, and back when I was human it killed many, many people and no one cared. They would walk by you, as you lay dying in the snow." Even if it had been many years ago, Stefan could see that Victor was still very much angry over the fact. "I was almost dead when she found me and a second after she fed me her blood, did my heart finally give out."

"So she didn't mean to turn you!" Stefan said, trying to figure a way to turn Victor onto his side, and maybe go against Caroline.

"No, Caroline saved many people, gave them shelterer and food, but she found me too late. When I awoke as a vampire, I was... very angry. I wanted revenge on those that had left me to die, but Caroline would not allow it. You see Caroline values life, she has never taken a life while she's fed and in turn, we have learned to do the same."

Stefan taught back on what Elijah had said about Caroline. 'She's cold bloodied and cares for no one but herself.' Yet here was Victor, a man who knew Caroline and was telling him that she was the opposite of what Elijah had said.

"Caroline took me in, gave me a home, a family, gave me a reason to live." Victor carried on.

"But Caroline's going to kill herself, without her all the things you just listed will be gone."

Victor laughed. "I may not always see eye to eye with the others, but they are my family, they're my home and they are one of the reasons I choose to live."

Stefan frowned. "So you'll just let her die? You won't even try to stop her?"

"You think this is easy," Stefan was startled as another person appeared from the dense forest. "Caroline is off taking the cure and instead of being at her side like we should be, we're left tracking down worthless low life vampires who think they deserve the cure more then she does." The woman, a native American by the tribe tattoo on her bare arm strode from the forest.

She was smoking a long thin pipe and as she passed by him she blew the smoke from her nose and gave him a once over. "I see you found my target." She said, taking a drag from the pipe before exhaling once more, creating a smoky haze around her.

"Seems, you didn't find anyone." Victor playfully remakes, earning himself a glare from the exotic beauty.

She tsks as she turns her head away. "It would appear that Eve and Nat have the other Salvatore along with the doppelgänger." Another inhale of smoke followed by the hazy cloud as she exhales through her nose. Even thou she speaks to Victor she has not taken her eye's from Stefan since she appeared from the forest. "Doppelgänger's are a interesting breed, don't you think?"

Stefan is confused at the change of question suddenly addressed to him. "I'm not sure what you mean?"

"What are you getting at Jesha?" Victor cuts in, intrigued at the sudden change as well.

"This man right before us, he wears the face of a man I know to be long dead, and yet" Jesha walked forward to stand near inches from Stefan. Her smoky breath contaminated the air Stefan breathed." Very single detail is exactly the same." Her hand reached up to brush against his hair. "Right down to the slight inward flick of his hairline."

Victor flashed forward suddenly both of them in Stefan personal space. "There have been others who have closely resembled past relatives, but I've only ever heard of the Doppelgänger line being exactly the same," Victor claimed.

"I'm not a doppelgänger." Stefan objected stepping away from the pair of unknown vampires.

Jesha took another drag from her pipe. "But you are, and I'm sure Caroline knows this, having met you after all."

Stefan thought back to when he run into Caroline in the forest, she called him by another name and then had preceded to snap his neck. His mind now racing he wanted nothing more than to get away from the two vampires, but they were on him before he could so much as step in another direction.

"You can not escape." Jesha breathed wrapped around him from behind.

"It is best for you to sleep," Victor concluded and then with a snap, Stefan's world was surrounded by darkness. "Another doppelgänger, and you think Caroline knows of this?" Victor questioned as he watched Stefan body fall to the ground.

Jesha stared up to the sky, the trees blocking most of the view, but still steams of sunlight managed to pass threw. "Something doesn't feel right." Jesha emphasized by looking to the vampire on the ground between them. "There is something clearly going on here. I'm sure it has something to do with the reason this island exists and the person it has help captive al theses years."

"Silas!"

* * *

Annie sped through the forest, her red hair flowing behind her as she weaved herself in and out between the trees. Charlie had messaged Nat when he'd met up with Caroline, but after meeting with the hybrid it seemed that not all the details had been shared.

If Caroline wanted to end her life, she must know that none of them would stand in her way, but they deserved a proper goodbye at least. Out of the five of them, she'd been chosen to track Caroline down and find out just what was going on.

She didn't like the fact that she was separated from Eve. It was a well known fact that Caroline had trained only Eve and herself to work as a team, none of the others could work with Eve without almost having their heads loped off. Annie had trained in long range, while Eve could only ever do close range. Together they made the prefect pair and the others had always felt slightly put off that Annie had been paired with Eve.

Eve, the first person Caroline had ever turned and the one she had never trusted anyone with, until Annie had showed her that she was capable of taking care of Eve. The fact that Annie could fight along side Eve, was the main reason Caroline had finally allowed Eve to leave her ever watchful gaze. For 400 years they been together, and when it finally came time to part it had been hard for Eve, but she'd slowly got use to the idea of Annie being there for her instead of Caroline.

She felt slightly at ease knowing that it was Nat that was with Eve and not any of the others. Eve's style of fighting was dangerous it was meant to kill and if she ever used her weapon it usually meant that whoever she was fighting wouldn't live.

Caroline had trusted her with Eve, yet now when the end was near none of them had been told what was really going on. Caroline hadn't even been the one to contact them, it had been Kol and of all the people he could have rang it had to be Charlie. Charlie, who had run off without informing anyone else about what was going on. She wondered just what Kol had been thinking to ring Charlie of all people.

"Annie!" She stopped just short of the clearing where Caroline stood alone. She looked around wondering where Kol was but found him nowhere in sight. There was a cave behind Caroline but there didn't appear to be anyone in it. "He's gone to meet his brother and I asked Charlie to go along with him."

She walked forward, her stride purposeful. "You knew that I would come looking for you." Caroline held up her arms and Annie couldn't stop herself from throwing herself into the awaiting arms of the woman she considers her sister. "I've missed you."

Caroline ran her fingers threw the thick waves of red hair, in what could only be considered a soothing touch. "I've missed you too. Tell me how are the other, Eve?" Caroline asked with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Their fine, scatter around the island, making sure that no one will stand in your way." Annie pulled back, looking into the familiar blue eye's that had watched over her for decades. "Are you really going to die?" Caroline didn't say anything, but Annie could see it in her eye's. "What about all the adventures we are to have? All the places we still have to see? What about us? Eve?"

A pale hand grace Annie's cheek to wipe the tears that had fallen as she spoke her price. "I have had my adventure, seen the world ten times over and if there is one thing I have thought you, it is that a vow made by the heart, is an unbreakable promise."

"The other? Eve?" Her voice barely a whisper asked. "What am I to tell her?"

Caroline smiled so brightly that one wouldn't believe that she was about to end her life. "I have left you each a letter with Kol, and as for Eve, she is much older than yourself. She may look like a child but Eve is a lot stronger then you know and she will be just fine when I am gone, besides she has you now."

Annie nodded and wiped away her tears. "It is time?"

Caroline smiled sadly and nodded. "It is time," Caroline said softly. "Klaus and the others have arrived," Caroline trailed off looking to the side.

"I'll buy you as much time as I can, but know this," Annie reached out to hold Caroline hands in her own. "Alive or dead, together or apart, no matter how much passes we will always love you and all we want is for you to be happy, just promise that even if we can never meet again, that you'll never forget us" As Annie spoke Caroline swore that she could see the others take her place and say some of the words themselves. She could see them all so clearly, Nat gleaming smile, Jesha with her prised pipe, Charlie's devilish grin, and finally sweet Eve, who could see beauty in the world where others could not. They were her and Kol's little family, and she would miss them all dearly.

Caroline threw herself at Annie, allowing her emotions to slip for the first time in a while. "I love you all so much, and will treasure all the memories I have had the pleasure of sharing with you all, you are my little family are the reason I have lived." Together the two of them cried, till finally, Caroline pulled back. Composing herself she nodded, Annie wiped her tears and turned away heading in the direction Caroline had looked moments ago. "Take care of them for me."

"Always," Annie swore, and with no found strength Annie ran as fast as he legs would carry her. She would buy Caroline as much time as possible.

* * *

Nat stayed in the tree watching the scene play out before his eye's. He watched as Damon and Elena tried to double team Eve, but with Eve's style of fighting it just wasn't possible.

"This is getting us nowhere, if you're not going to kill us then let us go!" Elena cried when she saw that she was getting nowhere. Nat knew that if Eve wanted to kill them, then they'd have been dead long ago.

Damon growled and flashed forward once more, only to be hit by the blunt end of Eves weapon. He was thrown back into the forest, for what felt like the 20th time. Nat sighed, he just didn't learn, did he?

"My job is to keep you here, you only need to stay put and we can stop this," Eve spoke.

Damon climbed back to his feet and walked back to where Elena stood. "Look, were not going to stop until we have that cure, and then were going to find away to kill that blonde original your protecting." No sooner had the words left Damon month did he feel the spray of blood upon his face.

He looked down in horror as something rolled to hit his feet. He looked back up to Eve who had finally thrown her cape away. Damon's icy blue eye's took in all of Eve, not quit understanding what he was seeing. Bare foot, with long pale blonde hair tired in a high pony, she was wearing back shorts and a black vest top, you would think Eve looked like a normal child, but it wasn't until you looked up into her expressionless milky blue eyes did you notice that she was not a normal child.

"Whoops, I missed!" Eve said her graze looking off into the tree line behind Damon.

Damon dropped to his knees picking up what had hit his feet. "Elena," He said, distraught looking from the head he held in his hand to the body which had dropped to the floor.

Suddenly the blade of Eve's weapon was against his own throat. A hand suddenly clasped around his neck and with a snap, he welcomed the world of darkens.

Nat looked into the unseeing eyes of Eve. "No more killing Eve," She opened her mouth to reply. "Not on the day Caroline is to leave us."

Eve's eyes may be unseeing, but she could still weep tears of sorrow.

* * *

Alone now in the clearly Caroline turned to the figure that had been hiding just out of sight of Annie. "So, it's finally time?"

Elijah stepped out into the open. "You fed Silas the cure?"

Caroline's eye's hardened. "He could never be allowed to walk this earth."

"You have said your goodbyes?" He questioned as he strode forward until they were just a foot apart.

Caroline hummed, as she looked to where Annie had disappeared into the forest. "I have no regrets." She confessed, her eye's losing their hard edge to be replaced by something much softer.


	17. Chapter 17

As Klaus reached the water's edge, he seen the figures emerge from the trees. It was Kol, as well as another unknown person who stood at his side. Klaus jumped from the boat into the shallow water and waded his way towards his brother.

"You don't deserve her love." Klaus snarled as he flashed forward and knocked into Kol. The two of them rolling to the ground. The brothers answered each other hit for hit, and though Klaus was focused on Kol he could tell that his sister was battling against the unknown vampire that had come with Kol.

"You don't know anything." Kol snarled, punching Klaus back away from him. He flashed forward at the same moment as his brother.

"You're letting her die, what is there to understand." Klaus roared, dodging one of Kol's hits of to be shot in the shoulder. He snarled, looking to find the red head from early sitting in a tree quite a few yards away, that annoying smirk still present.

"Told you I wouldn't miss next time." She called cheerfully. "Yo, Charlie." He watches as she aims the gun again and turns in time to see a flare light the sky above their heads.

"Annie!" The one called Charlie shouts. "Bout time you guys arrived."

"Well, if someone had stuck around after they got the text, we could have all gone together." She grumbled loudly enough for Klaus to make out, then preceded to shot Enzo in the knee cap.

He winced as the bullet pushed itself from his body and turned once more to glare at Kol. "I'll kill you for this Kol." Another bullet entered his skin and whirled around with a snarl ready to take out the red head when his brother suddenly knocked him to the ground.

"You think this is easy," Kol grunted as Klaus kicked him back. "Caroline is my life."

"Then why are you letting her die?"

"For Henrik!"

This gave Klaus pause as he registered what Kol had said. "What?" Klaus asked brows frowned.

"If she takes the cure, she'll be human, Nik. She won't get trapped on the other side, she'll be free to go to where Henrik is." Kol explained.

"No!" Klaus shouted in denial. "I won't let her, she's run from me for too long. I should have daggered her as soon as I found you two together." Klaus growled.

"That's not your choice to make!" Charlie screamed as he jumped over Rebekah and charged at Klaus. Luckily for Charlie, Kol pushed him away before he could reach Klaus.

"You do well to listen, Boy!" Klaus began pointing his finger at Charlie. "Caroline is my family, and I won't allow her to just take her own life."

"Your wrong!" A soft voice spoke from within the forest and they all turned to see a little girl carrying a massive spear being led by a man in their direction.

"Eve's right," A thick Russian accent said, as a man and a tanned woman emerged from the other side of the trees. "Caroline is our family."

"And we will not allow you or anyone else to stand in her way." The tanned woman spoke, eyeing them all with disdain.

"You guys made it," Charlie said, cheerfully.

"No thanks to you." The dark skinned man with the child said, glaring at Charlie.

"Ah, Nat don't be like that, the whole gangs finally together again."

"I do believe we have a problem," Jesha said looking around at all those who were gathered. "It would seem we are missing one last original, and seeing as we are all here none of us ran into him."

Kol's eye's widened in horror as he realized Caroline was alone and Elijah had most likely found her.

Without a second look he took off back in the direction he'd last seen Caroline. He heard the fighting break out once again but didn't dare look back. He needed to get to Caroline at all costs, unknown to him Klaus was following right behind, having snapped the neck of the Russian man and the tanned woman.

* * *

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Elijah asked, glancing down to the white oak stake that he held in his hand. He could feel the energy from within it pulsing, never before had any of the other stakes pulsed, yet somehow this white oak stake was different.

"You have carried this burden with you for all these years, Elijah. I can not help but wonder, why it is that agreed to help me?" Caroline asked, closing the gap between them. Gently she reached out to feel the energy within the stake, and as if it knew it was her, it responded as if it had a life of it own.

Elijah gripped the stake harder, then looked up so his and Caroline's gazes could meet. "In the beginning, I was not going to help at all. I knew your death would cause pain to both my brothers and if I could, I'd rather they never suffer."

"Yet you decided to help me in the end."

Elijah looked at Caroline and for a moment he could see her standing before him as a human, dressed in her old worn dress and holding Henrik's hand.

"It may not have shown it, but I did love, Henrik. He deserves to be happy, and so do you." He told her truthfully.

* * *

**Flash Back**

Elijah had found himself coming to a sudden halt at the sight before him. Caroline, who disappeared without a trace was standing before him. She kneeled on the ground, seemly lost in thought as she tenderly cared for a sapling tree. Now, Elijah wouldn't have found it strange, meeting Caroline again after the few years they been apart, but what he did find strange was that Caroline was tending to a tree that was growing from the burnt ground where Henrik's funeral pyre had once stood.

Treading closer he took a closer look at Caroline. She wasn't as he remembered her, for her eyes which had once been filled with nothing but sorrow, now shone with life once more. She was also singing gently to the tree, as she stroked the tiny buds that had sported.

"It's so strange, Elijah." She spoke suddenly, looking up at him. "I was so far away, and yet I could hear it no matter how far I traveled." Elijah glanced around them in confusion, he could not hear anything but the birds deep within the forest. "You can not hear it." It wasn't a question, she could tell by looking at him that he had not been drawn here by the sound from the tree.

Kneeling before her, he asked. "What is it you hear?"

"You can not hear it, Elijah, but maybe you can feel it." Reaching forward she took his hands to wrap them around the thin base of the tree. As if the tree was made of fire he tore his hands away, but Caroline only smiled as she replaced his hands with her.

His breath was suddenly heavy, he swallowed and risked another touch. Once again he was engulfed by the energy in the tree. He closed his eyes as he let the feeling wash over him. "Henrik!" He whispered, and then as if he was no longer welcome a power threw him back away from the tree.

Skidding across the ground he came to a sudden halt and looked back to find Caroline still holding the tree, as if completely unaware that he had been thrown away. Picking himself up, he ventured forward again but this time he did not allow himself to touch the tree.

"Caroline!" He said, reaching out to lay a hand on her shoulder.

"Hm?"

"Caroline let go of the tree." As if finally hearing his voice her eyes snapped open and she released the tree. "How long have you been hearing this calling?"

She allowed Elijah to help her up from the ground and brushed the dirt from her shirts. Looking up towards the clouds, she knew that she needed, to be honest. "Since I awoke, this place has been calling to me. I could never bring myself to come." She confessed. "And then when Mikael found out abut Nik and we had to run, I just couldn't stay away. It's his voice, Elijah, he's been calling me and I thought I was going mad, but I'm not." Caroline smiled, and Elijah could see the truth in her eyes. "It's Henrik, he's found a way for me to die and be with him."

He didn't want to believe her, there was no way his dead brother had done this, yet the proof was before his eyes. When he'd touched the tree he'd felt it, it was Henrik. It didn't make sense, but then their life now didn't make much sense either.

"Caroline, it has to be destroyed," Elijah informed he'd not allow a weapon that could kill them to exist. Even if said weapon was somehow connected to his youngest brother.

"No!" Caroline snared, the veins appearing below her eyes as said eyes turned a bloody red. "It grew for me, and I'll not let anyone take him from me again."

Elijah clenched his teeth, he could understand where Caroline was coming from, but still, he couldn't allow it. "Caroline, this could be used to kill us, all of us. I can not allow such a thing to happen."

Caroline shook her head in denial. "Your wrong, it's for me, Elijah. Why else would I be able to hear his voice." She looked back to the tree. "There need be only one stake, one stake so as to end my life."

"You would die to be with him?" Elijah had never understood the bond Henrik and Caroline had growing up. They were never apart and when one was sick so was the other. They always seemed to know things about the other, such as where they were or who they were with, It had always been frightening for Elijah to see the bond they shared. And now, even in death said bond had not been broken.

"The night I died, I felt his grasp my hand before I was torn away, back into this curse body." Caroline hissed, gesturing to herself. "Please, do not take this from me, Elijah. This is the only way I can ever be with him again." She pleaded, tears falling from her cheeks to the ground. "There need only be one stake." She repeated.

Elijah frowned one stake to end Caroline's life. He thought of Niklaus, who at this very minute was listening for word of Caroline's whereabouts. Elijah had known for quite some time of the feelings his brother held for Caroline and had set out to search for her and reunite her with his family, yet now things would not be as he thought they would.

"One stake?" He asked, watching her face light up.

"Only one." She promised, nodding her head. "I'll even entrust it to you until I'm ready."

"You're not ready now?"

Caroline looked up to the clouds. "I want to see the world, Elijah so that when we meet again I can tell him of the adventures I've had."

Elijah smiled and reached forward to pat her on the head. "Henrik and your family, they'd be proud."

Caroline's eye's grew wide at his words. "He'd be proud of you too."

"Niklaus can never know of this," Elijah said suddenly. "If he ever found out he would stop at nothing to stop us, so if you hear a word of him, run, run and don't look back because Caroline, Niklaus is searching for you and he will stop at nothing until he has found you." He didn't tell her about the daggers or what had become of Finn.

"Maybe in a year or a decade, or who knows maybe a millennium, I'll come for it."

"I'll be waiting," Elijah assured.

**End** **Flashback**

* * *

Caroline had vanished into the wind after that, leaving Elijah to take care of the growing tree, until the day it grew so that a single stake could be craved. Watching the tree over the years, Elijah had almost destroyed it once or twice, but then a single touch to the tree assured him that Henrik really was waiting for Caroline.

Once it had grown enough, he craved the stake with such detail that it was a work of art. He hid it from Niklaus for years and had never spoken a word of his meeting with Caroline. Yet he could see the pain Niklaus felt grow each year as word of Caroline never reached them. Kol had disappeared into the wind, popping up every so often.

"You've lived the life you wanted?"

Caroline smiled. "I had adventures one could only dream of, and as unlikely as it seems I found a family of my own." She took a breath. "And somewhere along the way, I fell in love." She revealed as if it was her darkest secret.

"Kol loves you, and so does Niklaus. If you go through with this, you'll break both of them."

Caroline looked so broken in that moment. "I knew Nik loved, and it's one of the reasons I ran because I knew even with Henrik's voice calling that I would love Nik back." She shook her head, a silly grin appearing. "Then Kol turned up, I had been about to return to you when he found me and then he put life back into me. I tried, Elijah. I tried so hard for them not to love me, but everything I did made them love me more. By setting myself free, both of them can be free of the curse, which me."

"There is no coming back." Elijah cautioned.

Caroline stood and opened her arms. "Set them free, Elijah."

She saw him make eyes contact with someone behind her before his eyes forced on her once more as he plunged the stake into her chest.


	18. Chapter 18

Kol had reached the clearing only to stop at the words that left Caroline's mouth.

"Set them free, Elijah."

His brother looked up, but it wasn't him that he made eye contact with, but Klaus who he hadn't even noticed had stopped next to him. It happened within a second, before either brother could move. Kol had managed to close his eye's, but he could not block out the sound of the stake entering Caroline's flesh.

Klaus on the other hand, watched the scene in horror and flashed forward, but was still too late. He caught Caroline as she fell backwards towards the ground and cradled her in his embrace.

"Caroline?" He breathed, as he looked into her clear blue eyes. So lost in her gaze, he didn't even notice Elijah as he stepped back away from them, only to be stopped by a gun pressed to the back of his head and a spear blade pressed to his throat. The others had arrived, but Klaus was focused solely on Caroline.

Her ivory skin was slowing turning a dull grey colour, and ugly dark veins began appearing across her skin. He could see the light fading in her eye's, turning her clear blue eyes a dark shade, those dark eyes didn't belong to his beautiful Caroline. He flinched when a cold hand reached up to press against his cheek.

She swallowed, her mouth twitching as she tried to speak. "Let us meet again," He felt her hand begin to fall from his cheek. "Above the clouds." Her voice was barely above a whisper, and when she turned her gaze from him to the sky above he felt his heart break as a single tear fell from her eyes. He watched in agony as what little light had remained in her eye's vanished.

"Nik?" He heard Rebekah say, then felt as she lay a hand on his shoulder. "Nik, her body isn't burning?"

It didn't fully sink in what she'd said, until he realised what she said was true. Her body should have lit up in flames the moment the stake priced her heart, yet here she remained, she looked much the same as if he had daggered her. His eye's locked onto the stake protruding from her chest. Klaus knew that Elijah had crafted it by the detailed work, work he had seen Elijah do before.

His eye's immediately sought out his elder brother. "What is this? What did you do?" Klaus roared, before gently placing Caroline onto the ground, and closing her eye's. He brushed his fingers against her cheek one last time before he stood to face his brother.

Elijah merely looked back at him without an ounce of fear or regret. "I did what was needed of me."

Rage boiled beneath his skin as he flashed towards his brother. He barely took notice of the little girl from earlier standing in front of Elijah. "You killed her, you've taken all that we had left of Henrik!"

"I set her free, and I returned her to who she rightly belonged too," Elijah informed.

"Caroline." Klaus turned to find Enzo kneeling at her side, his hand stroking her cheek.

Rebekah knelt at his side, peering down at Caroline. "We should take it out, give her a proper funeral?" It was not Klaus that she looked to when she spoke, but to Kol who had not moved from where he stood since entering the clearing. "Kol?" Rebekah questioned.

Klaus seeing that Kol was not going to answer spoke up instead. "Take it out, Rebekah and be done with it." He snarled turning back to Elijah, but the pained cry from his sister had him turning once more.

Rebekah was no longer kneeling beside Caroline, she's be thrown some feet away. The stake sent out a ear screeching ring, which brought all the originals to their knees, each holding their hands to their ears.

"What is it?" Rebekah cried out, hands digging into the ground as she looked back to where Caroline lay. Suddenly the ringing stopped, and she looked on in shock as Caroline's body began to glow and her skin which had once been grey, turned pale once more. "Nik!"

Klaus looked on in shock, unsure of what to do, he'd never seen such a thing happen before in all his years. Turning on Elijah once more, he damaged to know what was happening. "What have you done?" He roared grabbing his brother by the collar of his suit jacket and dragging him to his feet.

Elijah looked from Klaus to Caroline, before returning his gaze to Klaus. "Her soul is free, and she goes to a place where none of us may join her," Elijah stated.

"Stop this," Klaus pleaded. "Bring her back."

"I can't, he has waited long enough, they deserve to be together."

Klaus shook his head in denial. "Do you hear yourself, Elijah. Just who do you think she's going to to, she'll be trapped on the other side for all entity."

"She won't be trapped, you see, he has created a way for them to be together and after a thousand years, they will finally be reunited."

"Who are you talking about?"

"Henrik!" It wasn't Elijah who spoke the name, but Kol who had finally found himself able to move again. He was making his way to where Caroline was, the others from Caroline group joining him.

Klaus looked to Elijah for confirmation, but Elijah merely nodded unable to meet any of his sibling's gazes.

"The stake is connected to him somehow, isn't it?" Rebekah questioned, eyeing the stake which had thrown her away from Caroline's body.

"It grew from the scorched earth where Henrik ashes lay, it's been calling her since the beginning. I'm actually surprised that she ignored it's call for so long." Elijah knew Caroline was strong, to hear the one you love calling you for a thousand years and not go to them because you knew others needed you, took strength. Strength that Elijah knew only Caroline could possess.

"Is she really gone, Annie?" Elijah looked at the little girl, tugging on the sleeve of the red head woman. It was clear to him that the child was blind, and that becoming a vampire had not changed that fact.

"Yes, Eve," Annie told, grasping the child's hand in one of her own, while with the other she wiped away a stray tear.

"Will we die as well?" It suddenly occurred to them that Caroline was the one to create these vampires, she was the sire of their line and with her death their own would be close behind.

Annie looked over to meet Elijah eyes, her fierce green eye's glowing in the sunlight. "If we are to die, then we shall all go together." Elijah watched as those of Caroline's sire line joined hands. So, these were the people Caroline called family. They were an odd bunch, all different races and somehow none of them seemed to fit together, yet at the same time, you could time tell that they would all die for one another.

"She didn't take the cure, did she?" Jesha asked, her silky straight black hair framed her face and Elijah knew by looking into her dark eye's that she old, had probably been a native witch before she'd been turned. She was also smart, having figured out that Caroline hadn't taken the cure.

"No, she didn't." Elijah looked at Kol, who was staring longingly at Caroline as if it would somehow bring her back. "She made sure that Silas would never again walk this earth, she came here to kill the only other being that could possibly hurt a original."

"She did it for me," Kol said, nodding his head finally understanding why she becomes fixated on finding the cure, and Silas.

Elijah sighed. "She couldn't leave without knowing we'd all be safe."

Klaus's growl brought all eyes to him. "It seems to me that the only thing standing in my way of bringing her back is this stake, I won't let her life be wasted." Klaus said, the flashed forward ready to pull the stake from her chest. His hand wrapped around the stake was caught by Kol's and both brothers glared at the other when suddenly they both felt the electricity coming from the stake. It forced both brother away, much to their shock.

They were also shocked to find Eve pointing her blade at them, her unseeing eye's burning with fury. "How dare you, You two meant the world to Caroline!" Eve shouted.

"They both mean the world to me." Caroline had once told Eve, as they secretly followed the family.

"How dare you defile her death. Caroline lived for you, for us," She shouted smacked her chest. "Do not for one moment think her life was wasted, not when you know nothing about her."

Klaus growled how dare this, child, speak to him like that.

"Eve is right." The Russian man whose neck he had snapped earlier spoke. "Caroline lived the life she wanted, she has the right to choose when it should end." Victor told.

Enzo who was she knelt at Caroline side shook his head. "Something isn't right, I mean, if she was dead shouldn't she have stayed all grey and covered in veins?" He questioned.

Rebekah nodded before voicing her own thoughts. "And there is definitely something going on with that stake, I mean if her soul is with Henrik, why does it seem to be protecting her body?"

"We shouldn't leave her laying here like this." Nat spoke, glancing at Annie before looking to kol. "We should find a proper place to lay her."

"There is a clearing, where the sun beams down through the trees and wildflowers flourish," Jesha spoke.

"It sounds like somewhere Caroline would build a house," Nat said, smiling at the memories he had of building houses with Caroline out in the woods.

"There's no chance I'm letting any of you take her," Klaus growled, he'd kill them all before he let them take Caroline from him.

"And what do you intend to do Nik?" Kol demanded. "Lock her away in a coffin-like you did the rest of us? Well you'll have to kill me before I let that happen. I will not allow you to take her from us."

"Like you did to me?" Klaus remarked, "You knew how I felt about her, and still you went behind my back and stole her."

"She wasn't yours!" Kol roared.

"But she was!" Klaus suddenly looked broken. "Henrik gave her to me to protect, and to do that I needed to let her go, but you." Klaus growled pointing a accusing finger at Kol. "You ruined everything, if she had been with me she'd never have given her life."

Kol took a step back at the accusation and couldn't help but wonder if what Klaus said was true. If Caroline had been with Klaus would she have lived, would she still be alive at this moment, had she died because she'd chosen to love him instead of Klaus, but that wasn't true, she'd loved them both, she loved all of them but her love for Henrik is what had won in the end. None of them stood a chance, at least not while there had been a way for her to reunite with Henrik.

"To be loved is a gift," Jesha recited what Caroline had once wrote. "But to have known love and then had it taken is a curse. Such heartache can never truly be mended, it is only in death that such love can be returned." Jesha looked to both of the brothers. "Should you not be happy that your brother is no longer alone, that his loved one has finally come for him, or are you that selfless that you would claim her as your own?"

Klaus' eye's turned a gold as a growl rumbled in his chest. "You know not what you speak of."

"I know enough." Jesha supplied.

"Look, it's obvious that none of us are going to see eye to eye, but I'm sure we can all agree that Caroline needs to be moved." Rebekah stated having made her way back to where Caroline still lay on the ground. "Maybe we should bring her home." She suggested.

"No," Kol disagreed immediately. "This is the place she chooses as her final resting place, she stays here on this island."

"And put her where?" Rebekah questioned.

Kol looked behind them to where the cave entrance stood. "We'll put her in there, she'd be above ground but far enough inland that no one will disturb her, can we agree to that, Nik?" Kol asked, daring his brother to disagree.

"She stays here, I'll have a witch spell off the entire island so that no one can step foot upon it" Klaus agreeing was a shock to them.

"You can't do that!" Annie shouted.

Klaus merely grinned in return. "You'll all be dead soon, so I don't see why you get a say in what happens to Caroline."

"She's our family, that's why," Victor shouted, but Jesha squeezing his hand halted anything else he would have said.

Jesha shook her head sadly, then turned to look at the hybrid before them. "Our time is limited, we shall stay here on the island while you find your witch."

Klaus nodded, he almost felt sorry knowing that those Caroline held dear would be dead when he found a way to awaken her, but no one needed to know that. He wouldn't allow anyone to get in his way. He turned to see that Kol had lifted Caroline from the ground and was making his way towards the cave. The others followed after Kol, but Klaus stayed outside.

He stared at the back of his brother as he carried the love of both their lives away. He didn't need to see Caroline laid out like they had done Henrik, no, what he needed was to begin looking for a way to bring her back. There was witches that dealt in the rising of the dead, but they were few and well hidden. He had once searched for someone to bring Henrik back, but without a body there was no possible way, he'd killed the witch all those centuries ago, which he now regretted.

He didn't bother to look at Elijah who was watching him, as he turned a determined look in eye's. He wouldn't sit around morning Caroline's life, because he wouldn't rest until she was back. And once she was back, he be sure to keep her at his side and never let her out of his sight again.

* * *

Kol tenderly laid her onto the stone structure where Silas had laid not an hour ago. Annie had brushed the ash from the stone before Kol laid Caroline down.

Nat stepped forward, brushing her hair back into place. "She's looks peaceful." He commented, and Kol agreed. She looked to be smiling and if Kol didn't know better, he'd think that she was going to burst out into a fit of giggles any second, but that wouldn't happen.

A hand clasped on him, caught his attention and he looked into the fiery eyes of Annie. "Don't forget about us when we're gone, okay." She said, smiling sadly at him.

It brought an ache to his heart to know that he now be truly alone, there'd be no Caroline and there'd be none of the other's around either. He suddenly wished he hadn't given Caroline that Stake , he didn't know if she'd destroyed it or hide it away and without it he'd live forever in torture, not that going to the other side would help.

A tugging at his sleeve had him looking down at Eve. The little girl who carried a spear around like a teddy had her head tilted up to him, her unseeing eye's staring into his soul. "What is it, Eve?"

"I'll leave we you when your going, that is if I'm still alive." Eve declared, causing a abrupt of voices to ring out in the cave,

"What are you talking about?" Charlie shouted angrily at the girl, Victor held him back least he do something he'd regret.

"You can't just leave," Nat said, clearly upset at the notion of Eve leaving.

"Eve, what's brought this on?" Annie asked.

Eve was quiet, still holding onto Kol's sleeve. "Caroline," She mumbled, catching everyone attention. "She told me that this day would come, and when it did she gave me a mission, one that was for me alone." Eve revealed.

"What did she tell you, Eve," Charlie asked, clearly feeling calmer now, though his hands she shook slightly with anger.

"She said that when this day came about, I was to stay with Kol," Eve explained.

"That's it?" Charlie asked, looking to the others to she if they knew anything, but by their lost expressions none of them knew anything either.

"Caroline said there were letters," Annie said looking to Kol.

Kol nodded, before reaching into his jacket to pull three letters free. He handed one to Annie, the other to Enzo and kept the last one for himself.

Annie held the letter in shaky hands.

"Read it, Annie." Charlie urged, his eye's glued to the letter.

Carefully she unfolded the letter, Caroline's curvy handwriting was scripted across the page. Taking a breath she began to read what had been written.

'My dear friends,

I leave this world with no regret. All I wanted in my human life, I have fulfilled as a vampire. I have done more than I thought possible with this life given to me. During my life I have found friendship, adventure and the family I had always wished could be mine. Each of you have brought meaning into my world, but my time upon this earth has come to a end. I hope that you can forgive me for leaving you, but I've kept Henrik waiting long enough.

I'm sure that Eve has told you all by now what I've asked her to do, but do not think bad of her, for I asked this of her many centuries ago before some of you were even turned. It is my wish that you continue on with your lives, seek your own paths and live the lives that you want and let no one stand in the way of your freedom.

There is one thing that makes me want to stay, and that is to see each of you fulfilling your own dreams. Nothing in this world is accidental, everything happens for a reason. Love, friendship, adventure, these are all things that I have had the pleasure of knowing and these are some of things I hope for you to have in your own lives. If you ever think of me in the future, I want you to remember me smiling, for each of you filled my life with joy, happiness and laughter.

Now, give me a proper send-off, then go out and live your lives. Leave behind no regrets.

Forever your, Caroline.'

Annie let her hand drop, the letter clenched tightly in her hand. "We're not going to die, are we?" Annie asked, looking to Elijah who had joined them while she was reading out the letter.

"No, I don't believe so. Finn's sire line died within minutes of his death and Caroline's soul was set free, her body remaining here is proof that none of you will die." Elijah answered.

"What does yours say?" Charlie rounded on Enzo who was stood next to Rebekah. Enzo looked down to the letter in his hand, he'd never of thought that Caroline would write him another, but then Caroline seemed to know what he'd do before he'd even do it.

Slipping open the letter he glanced over what it said. "She said, she'd hoped I wouldn't come and that she hopes I will forgive her one day. She also mentions some others things that none of you need to know." He said, hastily putting the letter away. Rebekah looks at his curiously, but Enzo can't meet her gaze. Not when Caroline asked that he take care of the other blonde.

"Kol?" Charlie says, his eye's flickering to the letter.

Kol opens it and reads the few words that Caroline has wrote.

"Well?" Charlie asks.

Kol looks from the letter to Caroline then smiled. There were only two words, but somehow those two words were all Kol needed. "Well," He began ignoring the look Charlie was giving him. "We've been given are marching orders, let's make her proud."

Victor grinned glancing over to Jesha. "I'm sure you being as old as you are you know some great places."

Jesha raised an eyebrow. "If that's your idea of asking a girl out, then I think you and I have a problem." She said, then turned away with her head held high. Jesha leaned down quickly so as to whisper in Caroline ear. "Don't worry about the baby, I'll be sure to keep him out of trouble. " Jesha promised, before placing a farewell kiss to Caroline's cheek.

Victor stepped up next, placing a kiss on Carline's forehead. "Put in a good word with the big guy upstairs for me." Victor asked, then with a sad smile said. "I'll sure gonna miss you Caroline." He reached for Jesha out held hand, and then the two walked from the cave, allowing the others to say their own goodbyes.

Nat was next, he glanced at Kol before taking Caroline hand. "I'll always be grateful for what you've done for me, and I'm glad that you saw me as your family because you'll always be apart of mine." Nat placed a kiss on her hand, before stepping away to join Jesha and Victor outside.

Charlie stepped forward, his head bowed. "I'll be sure to make you proud." He promised, letting his hand run over his cheek one last time before he went to join the others outside.

"Caroline," Rebekah began. "I wished we'd got to spend more time together, and even if Nik doesn't understand, I do." She paused glancing at Kol. "You take good care of my baby brother up there, you hear."

Enzo stepped forward and linked their hands. "I'm sure she'll do just that, but make sure you don't forget about us up there you hear, gorgeous?" He said, causing Rebekah to giggle. "Time to go." He said, leading Rebekah from the cave.

Elijah looked at Kol who had his back to him. "I hope you can forgive me one day."

Kol stiffened. "One day, but not today." Elijah nodded, happy with the answer, he took one final look at Caroline and wished her all the best in her afterlife before he too left.

Annie looked to Kol. "I know that Caroline asked that Eve goes with you, but I hope you don't mind me tagging along?"

Kol nodded, and Annie didn't need to hear or see Kol his goodbye to know that he was in pain. She took Eve by the hand and led them outside, so that Kol could be alone. What he said to Caroline now, would be between them and Annie didn't think that anyone should know what was said.

* * *

When Kol did emerge his eye's were red, but he seemed more at peace with himself. After that the goodbyes were said quick, with everybody going their own way this would most likely be the last time all of the met again for sometime.

"We'll see each other again," Nat promised, he'd been going traveling with Charlie. The two men didn't know each other very well so it would be a bonding trip of sorts, they take the plane as Nat had been the one to pilot it.

Jesha and Victor would be going back on the plane, the two had been sneaking off for years together so it wasn't a surprise that those two were setting off together. "We always turn ever few years, so don't worry about seeing us." Victor reassured.

Annie and Eve would go with Kol on the boat that'd he'd used to get over, while Enzo and Rebekah would join Elijah in his boat to get off the island.

There was also the problem of the two brothers still on the island, but Elijah promised to take care of them.

Those of Caroline's sire line hugged one last time before they separated, each swore that they would make Caroline proud, and so a new chapter in each of their lives begins.


	19. Chapter 19

**_Hey guys before you start the last chapter, I thought you might like to learn a little more about Caroline sire line, if not you can skip ahead and read the last chapter. It will go in order of who was turned._ **

* * *

 

 _Eve_ , Eve is the oldest of Caroline's sire line, although physically she is the youngest of them too. She was turned at a young age, during the year 1003, after Caroline learned that her blood had healing powers. She feels that Caroline is her mother, as she was abounded as a baby and has known no other mother figure then Caroline. Eve has always been blind, as this was seen as a bad omen, she was kidnapped at the age of 11 and murdered in cold blood. She died with Caroline's blood in her system, and this is how her immortal life began.

Eve's physical features are that of a young child, her hair is a pale blonde, sometimes appearing white. Her skin is like alabaster and those who know her, know that's she prefers to go bare foot. Eve has honed her other scenes to perfection and does not need her sight to know what is going on around her. Her chosen weapon is a spare blade, which Caroline gifted to her sometime during her life.

The other's from Caroline sire line like to treat Eve as if she were a child. She rarely shows emotions to anyone other then Caroline, and like a child she has one wicked temper when one provokes her. She shares a close relationship with Annie, who is many years her junior and the two have learned to fight along side each other. Something they had thought impossible for Eve, whose style of fighting puts even her allies at risk.

 _Jesha_ is a native American who came from a long line of witches. Jesha was born without a single ounce of magic in her body, still, she learned what she could from the elders of her village. Her love of adventure got her into trouble many times, and one day after she had returned from her exploring she returned to find her village in flames. She was sighted by the enemy tribe and within seconds a dozen or so arrows had entered her body.

She lay dying in a pool of her own blood when Caroline came across her. Caroline offered her another chance at life, a chance to make sure her tribe would not be forgotten. Jesha took the offer, her people deserved to be sent off like hero's. Once she'd awakened to her new life, she and Caroline built a fire and one by one Jesha prayed that the souls of people be set free.

Jesha does not see her being a vampire as curse, but as a gift. She takes great pride in being from Caroline's sire line. Her love for adventure has grown and even after 900 years on earth, she still finds new places to explore. She shares romantic relationship with Victor, who also comes from the same sire as herself. He has become her constant travelling partner since his turning.

Jesha has tanned skin, with long silky back hair that frames her face. She is young in appearance having died at the age of 20, her eyes are filled with the wisdom of her people and she is known to gift her knowledge to certain witches who seems deems worthy. She carry's around her father's pipe and can be seen smoking from it on a regular basis.

 _Nat_ , known formally as Nathan, is man of African decent, oddly enough his eye's are unique to him and him alone. He is the only one from the Caroline's sire line, who asked Caroline to turn him. Nat knew of the horrors that were vampires, having lived life as a slave to the vampire known as Travis. Travis was well known to collect slaves and host large parties were his guests could hunt the slaves in a large mazes.

It was by chance that Caroline came across Nat, he then begged her to turn him. She was reluctant at first, but hearing his story she agreed on the condition that Nat show here where this Travis person resided. Caroline would then lay waste to all the vampires in attendants to the party.

Nat turned at 19 would gladly follow Caroline to the ends of the earth. When he was told that he was free, he fell to his knees and cried. He chooses to follow Caroline, as he considers her a dear friend and has never felt as trapped by the rules Caroline asks them to love by. He, like the others from Caroline's sire line, does not kill the humans he feeds from, he greatly values all life and takes great pleasure in compelling those who dare hurt animals or people for pleasure.

 _Annie_ is the fiery red head of the group. She is as wild as her hair is curly, and her eyes are a striking green color. She is of Irish decent and is very proud of her heritage. She does not speak of her past, but it is known that she became a vampire after Caroline tried to save her from a sinking ship, she was aged 26. She is the only one from Caroline's sire line who has murdered someone, it is believed that the person she killed had some connection to her death. She also holds a great hatred for the British but refuses to explain why.

Annie is a collector, her main collection being guns. This is also how she became paired up with Eve, who had never been able to fight along side anyone before. She cares a great deal about Eve, considering her to be a little sister of sorts, although Eve is technically older. She takes great pride in the fact that Caroline paired her with Eve, as Caroline had never allowed anyone before her to be paired with Eve.

Annie is very cheerful by nature and she enjoys the simple things in life. She values her vampire family above all else and is not afraid to break Caroline's killing rule if she feels any of them may be in danger. She is loyal to Caroline, her family and to no one else.

 _Charlie_ who turned at 28, is quite the looker. He has bad boy image, but his heart is as pure as gold. He falls in love easily and is usually left heart broken after they realize he is not the bad boy they were expecting. Charlie cares greatly for Caroline, and would gladly lay down his life for her. He always turns to Caroline after his heart has been broken, knowing that only she can heal the cracks in his heart.

He feels the most out of place in Caroline's sire line and finds it hard to connect with the others who have been with Caroline for many centuries. He enjoys sending time with Caroline and will sulk if anyone tries to join them. Over the years Caroline has forced him to interact with the others, and slowly he is beginning to form a relationship them. He seems to get on well with Kol, and the two appear to have a bromantic going on.

He spends most of his time out, as he wishes to find someone who will love him and spend entity with him. So far he has been left with nothing but a broken heart and has since decided to take a break from finding the love of his life. He tends to venture out at night more then he does the day, due to his striking features attracting too much attention.

Victor is known as the baby of the family. He's over 200 years old but compared to the other's he is still considered a baby vampire. Victor is originally from Russia but has not returned to his country since he turning. He died, due to the extreme cold weather that Russia experiences and prefers to stay away from cold places.

He thinks of Caroline as his saviour, and believes that she gave him a second chance at life. He is also grateful to Caroline for introducing him to Jesha, who he claims to have fallen in love with upon first sight. His love was unreturned for some time, but he has since managed to gain the affection of the older vampire. He now accomplices Jesha when she goes off exploring, and the two rarely are seen apart.

He is muscular in a appearance, and prefers to have his head completely shaved. Since his turning, he has converted and now practices the old ways along side Jesha. He believes that all things must one day return to the earth, and doesn't fear death, as he has accepted that one day he must return to which he came.

* * *

**Chapter**

As the stake had pressed into her chest, Caroline had felt it, the tugging on her hand that she had felt the first time she'd died. She felt the strength leave her and felt as her body began to fall. She was unexpectedly caught in a strong embrace and had looked up to meet the concerned gaze of Nik. She'd never seen Nik look so afraid before, and part of her wished that she could tell him that everything would be alight.

"Caroline." He breathed, and Caroline felt tears gathered in her eye's at his broken tone. Slowly but surely she could feel her body begin to desiccate, there was no turning back, not that she wanted too. She'd made up her mind along time ago, and she'd never been one to break a promise.

She wanted so badly to tell him that he was free, that he could find someone who deserved his heart. Her world was starting to darken, and the tugging was getting stronger. She knew she didn't have much time left, so with the little strength she had left she reached up to press her hand to his stubbled cheek. He flinched at the touch, and she wondered if he'd always felt so warm.

Swallowing, she tried to open her mouth and it took a few tries before any words would leave her lips. "Let us meet again," Her hand fell from his cheek as her strength finally left her. "Above the clouds." She whispered and let her gaze slip from his to look at the sky above. A single tear fell from her eye's before finally, the world turned dark and surround by Nik's scent she fell into her long await sleep.

* * *

There was gentle breeze rustling her hair, and she wondered for a moment just where she was. Her eye's flicker open, looking at the clear blue sky above her hidden behind the branches of some very tall trees. The sun light steamed threw the branches casting shadows upon her face, but she cared very little. Her heart and soul felt so light, that she wished to remain here, where ever here was for just a while longer. She allowed her eye's to close once more, as she allowed herself to enjoy the feel of the sun on her skin.

She felt a furry head press into her open palm, and smiled allowing her hand to run over the familiar body. Her fingers found their way to an ear and she scratched it, and heard the familiar sound of a content sigh. She didn't need to open her eye's to know who had joined her.

"Red, where have you been?" She asked, as the dog laid down next to her, placing his head on stomach. Together the two lay in silence enjoying each other's company, uncaring to anything else that might be happening. Caroline lay under the trees with her friend, she wasn't quite sure how she'd come to be in this place, but she didn't feel the will to leave any time soon.

It was only when Red lifted himself from her side did she open her eye's again, wondering where her friend was going. She sat up on her elbows about to call for him to return when she caught sight of the person Red had gone to greet.

"Henrik?" She whispered, and her life seemed to flash before her eyes. All the things she had done, the friends she'd made and then her promise to Henrik, suddenly everything was very clear. Caroline scrabbled to her feet and ran, throwing herself at Henrik.

He caught her, and twirled her around, the laugher she had longed to hear ringing out from his chest. "I see he found you before I chance too." Henrik said, as he reached down to pet Red when they came to a stop. She clung to him unwilling to let go, so afraid that this was all just a dream. "I've missed you, Caroline." He whispered, wrapping her in a tight embrace.

"I've missed you too." She confessed, tears streaming down her face as she pulled back enough to look up at him.

He was the same as the day he'd left her, eyes gleaming with mischief and a smile that could put the sun to shame. He even wore the exact clothes that she'd seen him in the day she'd said goodbye.

"Come!" He said, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her along after him. "I've something I want you to see."

She followed after him, her eye's firmly focused on his back. She'd follow him where ever he may go, and nothing would ever come between them again.

When they came to a stop, it was place that Caroline knew all to well. "I know this place," She smiled, looking to Henrik. He grinned, as he pulled her to sit on the grass beside the river bank with him. They spent most of their childhood here, and being back brought back so many memories. "We used to hide down here, so as not to have to do our chores."

Henrik laughed. "Remember the time Father fell into the river, and we had to pretend we knew nothing about it," Henrik recalled, causing Caroline to laugh along side him. Red, poked his nose into her side and she lifted her arm, allowing the dog to take up the resting place he'd been in before. "He's been a great company."

Caroline looked back at Henrik in confusion. "How did you get him to stay, he never listened to Kol?"

Henrik grinned. "Well, I am the other half of your soul." His expression sobered. "I always knew that you and I were meant to be, but it wasn't until I came here that I saw how true it was."

The sun on the river made the water sparkle and Caroline knew for a fact, that the river in her human life had never been as clear as the river before her, even if it was the same river.

Caroline let her hand run over Red's fur, her other hand still entangled with Henrik's. "When you died, I felt as though a part of my soul had been ripped from me," Red whined when her hand stopped rubbing his back. "I felt so alone, for a time I didn't feel anything."

"But then?" He encouraged her to continue, squeezing her hand.

"But then the more things I did, the more I began to feel again. It almost felt like you were right there with me, living my life along side me."

Henrik smiled gently at her, before his gaze ventured out onto the river. "I was living your life with you, you just couldn't see me." He reached forward with his free hand to tape the water and a picture spilled out onto the from the ripples created by his finger tips. On the river, looking back at her was Kol, he was standing next to Eve, the both of them appeared to in some kind of temple. "Time in this place does not follow as it does on earth." Henrik told when she continued to gaze a the picture in confusion.

"Oh!"

They sat in silence for some time, there were no words that needed to be spoken between the two. Words nor actions had ever been needed, as they had somehow always just fit together.

"Our very souls are connected." Henrik began, breaking the silence.

"I had a feeling." Caroline mused, having known since she was a child that she and Henrik were meant to be together.

"Do you know what soul mates are?" Henrik asked, laying back into the grass.

Caroline's brows frowned, as she also lay down. "Of course I do. It means that you and I were meant to be together."

"Almost," Henrik said, his eye's returning to meet Caroline's gaze. "It means that are souls have been connected throughout all of time, and that not even death can not separate us." Henrik gripped her hand tighter. "Caroline, even with me dead you could still hear my voice."

Caroline could tell he was about say something that would ruin this moment.

"I brought you here for a reason."

"Why?" Her voice was shaky, afraid of what was to come.

* * *

Klaus looked at the island from abroad the boat that he'd come on. The coven of witches all looked to him, awaiting his command, least they invoke his fury. It had taken Klaus a month to gather the coven, they had been unwilling to come at just his phone call and so Klaus had to fly over and slaughter a good number of them before they finally agreed to come with him to seal off the island.

He had not seen or heard of Kol since they parted on the island, and Rebekah was off somewhere with her latest lover Enzo. Elijah had vanished with the wind, and after Klaus had made it clear that the next time they ran into each other Klaus would kill him, he didn't think Elijah would appear anytime soon.

Klaus motioned with his hand to begin, and no sooner did the witched gathered into a circle and began there chant. Klaus kept his eye's firmly focused on the island, watching as the clear barrier began to rise from the water and began to engulf the entire island until at last, the island disappeared.

The eldest witch, turned to him once the task was complete. "No one shall find it, as long as you keep this candle lit, the barrier will hold until the day you choose to release it." Her aged voiced croaked, as she handed him the candle.

Klaus merrily glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, his gaze returning to where he knew the island was, hidden from anyone who would dare disturb his beloved. The witches seemed to take note that he wished to be alone and retreated back into the cabins they'd taken up.

Alone Klaus allowed his gaze to wander onto the candle. A simple candle, that would forever burn until the day he choose to blow it out and it would be on that day that he would come for his beloved, Caroline. "Caroline," He whispered, and hoped that the wind would carry his words to her. "I'd rather die then live in a world without you, and seeing as I'm not ready to die yet, I can't allow you die either. So don't get comfy up there, causing one way or another, I will bring you back and this time I wont let you go."

The wind swirled around him carrying a faint trace of her scent with it. Klaus watched as the candle lit flickered back and forth in the wind, it would be a long time before the candle would be extinguished. It would continue to burn until the day Caroline was set free.

* * *

Henrik looked wishfully up to the sky. "I've chosen to be reborn again, and when I am, I want you and I to be together again."

Caroline looked at him in wonder. "Can it be?"

Henrik returned his gaze to her. "My time in this place must come to an end, I think I've been a boy for far too long, but I'd like to stay here for just awhile longer." He snickered after a few moments of silence.

"What is it?" Caroline questioned, wondering what was going through his mind at this moment.

"Its just I know how Nik and Kol feel about you, I wonder how'll they react when you tell them about me?"

"Well you'll see them yourself, won't you?" She said, watching as Red snoozed against her leg. "I'm sure they'll be really happy to see you."

"Hm?"

"Hey, what is it?" Caroline could see that something wasn't right. "You know you can tell me anything right?"

Henrik chuckled. "Yes, I know that it's just that, there's something I've not told you about me being reborn."

She was afraid to ask, but she needed to know. "What is it?"

Henrik smiled at her sadly. "I won't remember you, I'll be a different person."

Caroline felt crushed, for them to return to earth where the other were, Henrik would need to be born into another body. This meant that everything they had done would be wiped from his memory, he'd not remember his brothers, sister and most of all he wouldn't remember her. "Then we'll stay here, forever."

"Caroline." He said, reaching over to press his free hand to her cheek.

"No!" She cried pulling away and sitting up, displacing Red. "I won't forget you, I refuse to be parted from you again." She would not go back, she wouldn't allow herself to forget Henrik. Henrik, who meant the world to her, she was her friend, her family and most of all he was a part of her very being. Their souls were entwined and she'd never allow them to be parted.

"Caroline!" He said, pulling her into his embrace. Holding her as tightly to him as possible.

"Why are you doing this?" She cried, her tears soaking into her his shirt.

Henrik sighed, running his finger threw her hair. "Our souls are forever entwined, it doesn't matter how many lives we may live." He reassured her.

"I don't want to lose you again."

He sighed, his eyelids lowering as he sat holding her. "You won't, I believe you'll find me again."

"But how?" She asked, clenching her hand in his shirt.

Henrik grinned. "When have you ever lost a game of hide and seek?"

She sat up pulling away slightly before she placed her hands on his shoulders. Caroline's eye's burned with determination when she looked at him. "Know this, I will find you and then we will never have to part again."

"Good," Henrik replied. "Because a vow made the heart, is an unbreakable promise."

Caroline smiled, they would be together again. She would search the earth a million times over to find him if she had too, for such the bond that they shared.

* * *

Time was distorted in this world, night and day seemed to last weeks at a time. Season changed as well, but it didn't seem to affect Caroline or Henrik. There may have been snow but there was no cold, and the same went for the sun, even though it shone on them there wasn't really any heat from it. Caroline wasn't sure how longed they'd been together, but the day came when Henrik was ready to leave.

"I will return you to those that I have taken you from." He said, his boyish smile gleaming in the sunlight. He reached down to pet Red. "I'll take him with me." He announced when noticed her gaze lingering on the dog.

"You can?"

He shrugged. "I don't see why not, dogs are reborn so that they can return to their owners in a new life. He decided to wait around here with me, while I waited for you."

Caroline smiled bending down to hug the dog. "I love you, Red. You take good care of my boy here in the next life, just till I find you, okay?" He sat back on his back legs, wrapping the front ones around her neck. She let loose a content sigh, and let her fingers run over the back of his neck where he loved to be scratched.

Henrik ruffled her hair. "Don't go crying to me," He said, patting her head. "We'll just fine."

Holding back tears, Caroline stood up. "You ready?"

"Are you?" He joked.

She punched his arm. "Of course you'd make fun of me at a time like this."

Henrik laughed pulling her into one last hug. "This isn't the end," He said pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "When we meet again, we'll go on many adventures. You, me and Kol, who knows it could be Nik."

"Henrik." She whined.

"Okay, okay, we'll save the talk about your love life for the next time we meet" He laughed, then quieted down. "It's time." She nodded. "Don't be afraid."

She didn't need her eye's to be open to see that she was fading from this world that they were in, and wrapped in Henrik's embrace she feared nothing. "Till we meet again." She managed to whisper.

* * *

There are rumour of another sire line having been created, that the line is sired by a woman. There are not many who believe such rumours to be true, and for those that going asking questions, death is what awaits.

Hidden deep within a cave on a island long forgotten by man, a body has been laid and has somehow withstood the test of time. If a person was to come across said body, they would think the girl was only sleeping, but the stake protruding from the girls chest would make you think otherwise. It is with a gasp that she comes back to life, the stake disintegrates as her body is launches forward as she breaths air into her lungs for the first in centuries.

Her awakening is felt around the world by those around the world that carry her blood. Scattered around the world, her sire line feels it the moment she awakes from her sleep, a sleep they thought would be eternal. From the unexplored jungle of south America to the hidden temples in the Himalayas, no matter how far away they may be, they feel her awakening.

Eve who has been deep in mediation stirs, her eye's snapping open as she realises what has happened. Eve knows exactly what Caroline looks like, for Caroline had entered her mind many times to show the beauty the earth that they lived upon. Eve did not see Caroline die, nor did she see her laid out in tomb, yet there in her mind she had seen Caroline awaken. Standing she ventures into the temple to inform Kol, who had become somewhat of Monk since Caroline's passing.

Nat awakes from his sleep grasping his chest, in his dream Caroline had come back to life. He thinks for a moment that he might be going mad and then the door to his room smashes open as Annie comes in, barely clothed having been awoken from her own sleep. The two share a look and when the door from down stairs slams open, they both know that Charlie has had the same version as them.

Jesha who takes after Caroline's love of adventure rarely stays in one place long. Its while tracking threw the jungle that her sights leaves her, and a vision of Caroline awaking in the cave they left her in flashes before her eyes. She comes to a sudden halt, and when her sight is granted back to her, she turns to Victor to see that he is looking back at her with same awe she most likely is showing on her own face.

It is in dark room with only a single candle for light, does he feel it. Hidden in the shadows of the room, golden eye's abruptly open as the candle which he has kept safe for centuries is extinguished. He had not blown the candle out, so there could be only one other reason that the barrier had been brought down. His beloved had returned, this was his chance and he'd not allow anyone to get in his way.

* * *

Caroline's eye's followed his every move, she sat a distance away but could be at his side at a moments notice. She gazes fondly at him as he chases the small red pup around the ever lush grass of the valley. She knows that this time she has with him is precious, human boys do not stay little forever.

"Caroline! Caroline!" He calls running to her out of breath, his chest heaving with every breath. He manages to trip over his own feet and before he can fall, she has caught him and set him back on his feet. "Thanks." He grins, showing off where his front teeth are missing. "Look! It finally fell out." He tells her excitedly, showing off the missing tooth in his hand.

"That will mean a trip from the tooth fairy tonight." She tells, letting herself fall back onto the grass. He drops down beside her, his ever faithfully companion coming to join them also. "We should head home soon." She says, noticing that the sky is beginning to darken.

"Can't we stay awhile longer, please?" He pleaded, giving her his best puppy dog eyes.

"Alright, a while longer." She gives in without much of a fight, knowing that he'll tire himself out sooner rather than later.

"Your the best, Caroline." He says, falling back to lay on the grass beside her. She can see that he is tried, but unwilling to give into the tiredness just yet. She will most likely have to carry him back to their small cabin, one the two had designed together.

True to her word she had found him, yet not in the way she was expecting. Upon awaking back on earth, she had felt it, Henrik's soul that is. It did not matter how far apart they were, for their soul called to one another. It took her some time to find him, almost year in fact. When she come face to face with him again, it was not at all how'd she imaged it.

She'd found him in an orphanage, he'd been lying in a crib in the back corner crying. She had ventured forward, almost afraid of what she'd see before her. It was only when the two were looking at one another did he stop crying, his little hands had reached up to her and without a second, thought, she took him and never once looked back.

There had never been missing person report on him, in fact the people in charge seemed almost pleased that there was one less child to care for. For a time she travelled the with him, hiding from those she knew were seeking her. It was by chance that a witch came to her, saying that the spirits had asked her to help them. It was only when they were cloaked did she decide that there would be no more running.

In north Italy in one of the most beautiful valleys, did she choose to settle? With Henrik helps she had created a home for them, one where they could live safely without fear of the outside world. Where Caroline could watch over him and not worry that someone from her past would find them. Red had come as a surprise to her, the pup had just shown up outside their door one day, but Caroline had known it was him.

There were times when she missed the others, but Henrik's safety had to come before all else. There would come a time where she could meet them all again, but that day was not today.

Her gaze drifted back to Henrik, he had fallen asleep. His hand had tangled itself into her shirt as if to keep her from leaving. Leaning over she gathered him into her arms and began the walk home. Red followed behind, his tail wagging as he trotted alongside the two.

When they arrived home she went directly to Henrik's room. "Henrik, come on you need to change for bed." She told, gently rousing him from his sleep.

As he went into the bathroom to change, she pulled back the covers of his bed and set aside the aged old teddy that he refused to part from. It was the very first present Caroline had ever gifted him, and he'd since refused to part from the age teddy bear. As she got ready to leave his room and go to her own, he came out of the bathroom, changed and having brushed his teeth.

She smiled as she watched him climb into bed, he pulled the covers up and peaked out at her."Good night, Caroline." He said while yawning.

"Good night, Henrik." She replied, turning off the light in his room, but, making sure to leave his door slightly open so as the light from the hall could still be seen. She went to her own room and did her own nightly ritual before she too climbed into bed. She sighted Red down the end of her bed and smiled.

"I see, I'll have your company for tonight." She said, patting him on the head before she pulled the cover over herself. Knowing that all was well she allowed herself to drift to sleep.

She was woken during the night by Henrik's crying, he was in her room standing next to her bed, holding onto the old wore teddy.

"Hush, hush, tell me what's wrong?" She said, pulling him onto the bed beside her. She pulled him under the blanket next to her, and cuddled him to her side, letting her fingers run threw his hair. "It's okay, I'm here."

He held onto her tight. "I had a bad dream." He told. "I dreamt that you were gone." He whispered, sounding so afraid that it broke Caroline's, heart.

"I here, I'm right here." She reassured him.

"Don't ever leave me, okay?" He asked, pulling back enough for him to look up and meet her gaze. "You have to promise."

He did not remember her, nor the past that they had shared and yet sometimes when he looked at her, she swore that he knew.

Clasping his face in her hands, she stared deeply into his eyes. "I make a vow with my heart, that nothing shall ever part us again." She promised, "Because a vow made by the heart, is an unbreakable promise."

He nodded, his tried eye's gazing back at her. "We'll be together always, won't we?" He asked, settling against her and laying his head on her shoulder so that she could resume running her threw his hair, something that he enjoyed.

"Always," Caroline promised, and she meant every word.

They would stay hidden for as long as needed, and it would be Henrik who decided what they would do in the future. She had lived her life, now it was time for him to live his and she'd follow to end to the ends of the earth.

She knew that one day they would be found, Nik would never give up. He loved her far too much, and after letting her go once, he would not likely do it again. Kol, on the other hand, had always been her prince. He had been the knight in blood covered amour, that has saved her from the depths of despair. He too, would not likely give up and once again her heart would be caught in a battle.

Her eye's growing heavy and with Henrik's warmth at her side, she drifted to sleep, dreaming of what once had been, and what could be.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Bonus Klaus Chapter** _

* * *

Life with Henrik in the north of Italy was peaceful, the coven of witches who lived in the village near their home, meant that vampires didn't stay long least the invoke the raft of the coven. Caroline had formed a friendship with the witches, they were a good people. Caroline had even been invited to many of their covens dinner parties. Henrik had even made friends with some of the children, much to Caroline's delight.

She did not want Henrik to grow up never having a normal childhood. So playing with witch children meant that he had the protection of the coven should anything ever happen when Caroline was not there herself. It also gave him freedom, he was still a boy and staying with his older sister figure was not what he wanted all the time.

The relationship she shared with Henrik was much like the one they had shared all those lifetimes ago. He was her best friend, her brother of sorts, the only one who really understood who she was, you could say he was her twin soul. She sometimes missed that she could no longer tell him everything that was on her mind, but that day would come. He would grow and one day if he wanted, she would explain everything to him.

There were still somethings that they did today, that they had done as children together. They still went out at night to watch the fireflies, sometimes they laid out under the clear sky to see the stars and other times they would build a fire and dance to music that no one but them could hear.

She loved being able to relive all these things with Henrik, but part of her wished for the others. For Kol to be sat across the fire, his eye's glowing in the fire light as he thought of ways to prank people. Rebekah, dancing with some masked man looking beautiful, Finn watching them from a distance, least Henrik and she try to wander off. Elijah trying to woo the doppelgänger, and of course Nik.

Nik who would watch her from across the fire, his eye's appearing golden in the fire light. He had always sparked something in her heart, and Henrik would joke that it would be Nik who Caroline would one day marry. That day had never come to pass, and she didn't think she'd ever marry now.

* * *

"Caroline?" Henrik called from the table, it was nearing dinner time and like every day after he finished his lesson he would sit and wait, yet today something seemed to be on his mind.

"Yes, Henrik?" She called as she placed the food on their plates. Of course she didn't need human food, but Henrik would think it odd if she didn't eat. She had spoken with him many times about what she was, but still she wanted meal times to be a normal as possible.

"Why didn't you tell me I had a brother?" The plate fell from her hands and smashed on the floor, Red came at once to clean up the food and Caroline felt as though she couldn't breathe.

"What? What are talking about? You don't have a brother." She rasped, bending down to clean up the broken plate.

"Yes I do, Nik told me so," Henrik replied, and at this Caroline gave a sigh of relief.

"Henrik, how could your teddy bear tell you that you have a brother?" She said, calming down slightly. Henrik had named the teddy Nik, Caroline had no idea where he had heard the name, but she hadn't lingered on the matter long.

"It's wasn't Nik who told me, but 'Nik' my brother." He told, and Caroline's heart raced. There was no way that he had found them with the cloaking spell in place, but Henrik had never lied to her. They had stopped running 5 years ago, Caroline had thought them safe, but if he was taking about Nik.

"Quick, go get your coat." She said, using her vampire speed to rush to her room and gather as much as she could. It would be hard to leave, after all, most of Henrik's memories had been made here. She had made a life for him here, where she could keep him safe, where he would not yet have to learn about the world they lived in.

"Caroline, why are you packing?" Henrik asked, standing in the doorway, his coat nowhere in sight.

"Henrik get your coat, we need to leave." She urged, flashing into his room next to gather anything he wouldn't want to part with. It was as she as reached for Nik the teddy did Henrik interrupt her again.

"But Caroline, Nik's here to have dinner with us." The teddy slipped from her fingers as she turned to see who was standing next to Henrik in the door way. "I let him in when I was going to get my coat."

"Hello, love," Klaus said, stepping into the room.

"Nik." She breathed.

* * *

He'd set out to the island the moment the candle had gone out, but already he had been to late. Caroline was long gone, and so the chase began. He knew for a fact that she wasn't with Kol, for he had some people keeping an eye on his foolish little brother, encase he ever tried something with Caroline's body. Yet none of that mattered now, Caroline was somehow alive and he had vowed that this time around he would have her as his own.

For years he had tracked her, until one day she had vanished completely. No witch could find her, and that could only mean one thing, another witch had cloaked her. With witches now no help at all, Klaus went back to how you found someone years ago, he tracked through every city and place, searching for any and all clues.

For years he searched without any clue to as where she could be, that is until one day. He been travelling in Italy hoping to pick up a lead, when he heard it. It was a voice he thought that he'd never hear again, a voice that he could never forget. He had been frozen in place upon the voice reaching his ears.

"Come on Red, you know Caroline doesn't like us wondering to near the river." At the sound of Caroline's name, Klaus allowed himself to peak from behind the tree he'd been standing behind. He could not stop the gasp leaving him, and this in turn was what gave him away. The boy turned and he was greeted to an all to familiar face, one that he had not seen in over a thousand years.

"Henrik?" He whispered, slowly walking forward but then stopped. 'No, this couldn't be Henrik.' He told himself. The boy was too young to be his brother. Henrik had died just before his 17 birthday, and the boy before him could be no older then 8. They may have looked alike, but this was not his brother. He turned to leave when the boy called out to him.

"Did you call my name?" The boy asked, and Klaus looked back to see him and the dog eyeing him warily.

"Your name is Henrik?" He asked, wondering if such a thing was possible.

"Yes, why?"

Klaus decided to humor the child. "Well, it just so happens that you share the same name as my little brother."

"Really?" Henrik asked.

"Yes, he meant a great deal to me," Klaus revealed, allowing himself to think of Henrik for the first time in a long time.

"Where's he now?" Henrik asked, noticing that the stranger seemed sad mentioning his brother.

"He died, a long time ago," Klaus replied. He stiffened when he felt a hand against his lower back. The boy did not say anything, simply stood at his side. "You know, you mentioned a name earlier on?" Klaus said, reining in his emotions.

"You mean Caroline?" Henrik asked, smiling up at Klaus, clearly not knowing the effect that name had on him.

"Yes, Caroline. Why don't you tell me about her?" Klaus asked it could not be coincident that Henrik, a boy who looked exactly like his brother was with someone by the name of Caroline. It also a appeared that Henrik was just the right age to have been born the year when Caroline awakened.

"Caroline looks after me, she's adopted me when I was a baby and we've been together ever since." Henrik said, reaching down to rub Red, the dog was still warily of Klaus. "She's the most important person in my life, next to Red. She promised me that we'd always be together, and Caroline never breaks her promises." Henrik grinned up at Klaus.

"What is this Caroline like?" Klaus asked, already knowing that it was her.

"She's the best, we do everything together. We used to travel a lot when I was younger, but now we live here." Henrik told, unknowingly giving Klaus all the information he wanted.

They sat for some time, Henrik telling tales of his time with Caroline until finally, the boy realized that he had been away for far too long.

"I'd better go, Caroline will be wondering where I am by now," Henrik said, standing and dusting off his shorts. Klaus stood also, he couldn't just let the boy leave, not now.

"If I come back tomorrow, will you be here?" Henrik asked, catching Klaus off guard.

"Yes, I'll be here," Klaus informed.

Henrik grinned. "Great, I'll come back and see you tomorrow," Henrik said.

"Wait!" Klaus called before the Henrik could run. "Caroline might not like if you come meet me, so let's not tell her just yet, just until I can go meet her with you, okay?"

Henrik nodded, before he ran off. Klaus's eye's followed him until he disappeared from sight. He wouldn't follow him just yet, because the fact that his dead brother was alive didn't make a whole lot of sense. For now, he needed to return to his hotel and think over all the information he had gathered today. He would also need to come up with a plan to face Caroline, who would likely run if she caught sight of him.

* * *

He had been meeting up with Henrik for over a week before he finally decided that he would go to the house and confront Caroline. His beloved Caroline, who he missed so much that he had spent years on end searching tirelessly for a way to bring her back. Instead, she had somehow come back on her own, and along with her she had brought his beloved little brother.

Getting to know Henrik over the week had been a experience Klaus would never forget. Henrik was of course a different person to who his brother had been, but that didn't matter to Klaus, this boy was still his brother. He could see why Caroline had chosen to hide him away rather then bring him into the world of darkness that the rest of his family lived in.

Henrik was such a joyful soul, and Klaus knew that to bring him into their world would be to destroy him. He was still a boy, he should not have to know of the horrors that awaited him. He could not hold it against Caroline for had it been him in her shoes he would have done the same.

Now with her standing right before him, he didn't know how he had allowed her to leave him all those centuries ago.

* * *

"Nik!" She spoke his name and for the first time in a long time he felt whole again. The place in his heart which had ached to be filled, was suddenly bursting and he could find no words to speak to her at that moment. As words had failed him, he did the very next best thing and stepped forward into her personal space and kissed her like he'd longed to for the last one thousand years.

She did not fight against it as he thought she would, instead Caroline seemed to sigh into the over do kiss. Her hands reaching up to tangle in his hair as she pressed up against him, allowing them to feel the warmth from one another. A cough was what separated them and the two turned to see Henrik still standing in the door way, clearly embarrassed by what he saw.

"Henrik!" Caroline shouted, pushing Klaus away with so much force that he was flung onto the bed. Blushing bright red Caroline looked from Klaus's irritating smirk to Henrik who was trying not to laugh. Head held high Caroline walked to Henrik and took his hand. "I see that you'll be joining us for dinner, Henrik help me set the table." Caroline said, leading Henrik from the room and leaving Klaus sprawled across Henrik's bed.

Klaus chuckled as he stood and followed after the duo. Caroline was cleaning the broken plate from the floor. "I can do that love." Klaus volunteered, as he joined them in the room.

Caroline looked like she might decline, but then nodded. "Thanks." She said, as she dished more food out onto another plate. It was silent agreement that Caroline and Klaus would talk alone once Henrik had gone to bed, and so dinner was filled with talk of why Caroline hadn't told Henrik of his long lost brother.

Henrik explained that he wasn't angry, that she hadn't told him. The whole time Caroline glared at Klaus, and Klaus rightly didn't say a word least she dive across the table and try to strangle him. It wasn't a sight he wanted Henrik to see just yet. The rest of the day went by quickly and soon Caroline was saying goodnight to Henrik, Klaus peaking his head in the door to also wish him goodnight.

When they were finally alone, Caroline lead him back to her bedroom, where she closed the door and then turned to face him with a rage burning in her eyes. "How dare you tell him such lies!" She snarled at him, her finger stabbing against his chest.

"What lies?" Klaus asked, generally confused.

"That you're his brother?" She snapped, stepping away to run her fingers threw her hair.

"But I am, Love!" He snapped in return.

"But your not, he was born an only child, both his parents are dead," Caroline exclaimed, pacing across the room.

Klaus's eye's narrowed. "You know as well as I, that the little boy in that room is the reincarnation of my brother. It doesn't matter if he no longer shares my blood, he'll always be my brother and you of all people should know that." Klaus emphasized, causing Caroline to finally stop her pacing to look at the man before her.

Nik, as a human she had thought him something of a hero. He had always been there to save her and Henrik from harm, and she had dreamed of marrying him. On more then one occasion Henrik had told her that she should in fact marry Nik, that way they be's a true family in name.

Maybe she would have married him, but then one faithful night had changed the course the of their lives for good. She looked to Nik during this time, but he had been lost in his own grief. Yet the man standing before her was Nik, the person she had thought was forever lost to her. That longing look she had seen him give her in their human lives, was there in his eye's right now.

"You've searched for me all these years, why?" Caroline wondered aloud, her voice sounding so small.

"You know why, Caroline." Klaus sighed, before reaching out to tangle his hand in her hair, pulling her close and forcing her to meet his gaze.

"I know why, but I can't understand." She whimpered.

Klaus let his fingers ghost across her cheek. "You're beautiful, your strong, you're full of light." Klaus recited. "It's always been you, Caroline. When Henrik spoke of us marrying, I had never been so happy and then that dreaded day happened." Klaus confessed, looking pained to be speaking of said day. "I did not believe that you could ever love me after that day, and so I forced you away."

"You turned me away when I needed you most, I was a girl Nik!" Caroline sobbed. "My best friend had died, the man I was in love with suddenly wanted nothing to do with me." She wiped at her eye's. "I do understand, though, he meant something to us all."

"He did, and now we have him back." Klaus hugged her to him.

Caroline allowed herself to hug her back, hands reaching around she griped the back of his top. "There's somethings I need to tell you about Henrik."

Klaus moved them to the bed as Caroline told him all that had happened in the afterlife. He listened intently, making sure to take everything in. There were times were he interrupted to ask a question, but for the most part, he stayed silent.

"You know he never blamed you for what happened that night, he asked me to tell you that," Caroline told, her head laying against his shoulder. He had one arm wrapped around her shoulder, while the other hand held her hand his thumb rubbing up and down at a slow pace.

He sucked in a breath at her words. All his life he had blamed himself for that night, the night he had asked Henrik if he could court Caroline. Henrik had been telling him that he should marry Caroline, and when he had worked up the courage to ask Henrik for Caroline's hand, for who else could he ask but her best friend, it also happened to be a full moon.

He had known that Henrik wanted to see the wolves and used this as a chance to ask Henrik. Henrik had agreed, he'd said that he knew he could depend on his big brother Nik to take care of Caroline and make her happy. Klaus had been over the moon, he'd never known such joy and then an hour later his whole life was turned upside down.

He'd had to carry his little brother body back to the village, and he'd had to watch as Caroline fell to her knees in despair. At the funeral, he's stood away from his family, hadn't been able to bring himself to say goodbye to Henrik. When Caroline had gone to Henrik body, Klaus had turned away, unable to watch.

Caroline telling him that Henrik didn't blame, was like lifting the weight from his chest that he'd been carrying around since that day.

"You have no idea, how much it means for you to tell me that?" Caroline rubbed her hand on his chest, her eye's closing for a moment. "Caroline, Love?"

She hummed in response, her eye's opening once more to look at her hand on his chest.

"You know that I love you," She chooses not to answer. "Please love, all I'm asking for is a chance."

She sat up, unable to look at him, least he see the sea of emotions in her eye's.

"He holds your heart right now," Klaus said, and Caroline thought of Kol. He set her heart free on the island, and she had done the same for his in return "But I intend to win it back." He whispered.

Caroline felt her heart leap in her chest, "A chance?" She asked, ringing her hands.

"That's all I'm asking for, love." Klaus answered, hoping that she does not deny him the chance he longed for, unknown to him Caroline had made up her mind the moment she spoke the words 'I love you.'

"You'll have your chance." She told spinning around to face him, but before he got to ahead of himself she spoke again. "But I am a lady and expect to be courted as one."

Klaus nodded, agreeing quickly. "Of course, Love."

"Well then, there's a spare room down the hall. I'm sure you can find it?" Klaus looked crestfallen at the thought of sleeping in another room, but these were Caroline rules and he would follow them.

"Well then love, I believe this is goodnight." With a single kiss to the cheek, Klaus left the room.

When the door to her room closed, Caroline fell back on her bed and pressed her hand to where he had kissed her. Her heart was a fluttering mess and she felt flushed, had she been any less of a woman she would have jumped him, but this was their one chance at a future, it would either make them or break them. She hoped it would be the before.

* * *

For six mouths Klaus had lived with Caroline and Henrik. His goal was to win Caroline's heart, but he loved spending time with Henrik. Caroline had allowed him to take over certain lessons, and Klaus took these as a chance to show Caroline that he was capable of more then just wooing her.

Klaus was also certain that Henrik was trying to help him along, but at the same time the boy just seemed to mess up his every chance at a date with Caroline. The first time had been because Henrik was generally sick, he really shouldn't have asked. The second time Caroline had agreed, only for Henrik to have their weekly bonfire early that week so that his witch friends could come over. Every other time had also ended in the same result.

Every time he asked, Henrik seemed to get in the way of his plans, until Henrik himself, sent them on a date himself. "You're wooing her Nik, that means you need to bring her out for a meal every once in awhile. I'm 9 and even I know that."

Caroline had laughed, but Klaus found himself dumbfounded. The very person who had thwarted all his attempts at getting a date from Caroline had got him a date with Caroline.

"Oh, and I expect you to collect me by 11, there'll be no staying out late while you live under my roof." Klaus had been rendered speechless. "I'll grab my coat and then you can drop me off at Vivi's."

"You know I find it hard to believe that this is what my brother became in his next life," Klaus muttered to Caroline as he helped her into her coat.

Caroline in turn giggled. "Don't be jealous." Klaus looked shocked at the statement. "Tell me, Henrik, where is it you booked our meal for?" Caroline asked as Henrik rejoined them, she even grinned at Klaus cheekily knowing that it bugged him to be out done by his brother, who was no older than 9.

"Vivi's mom said that 'Vinny's' is the best restaurant in the area," Henrik said as he slipped on his own coat.

Caroline felt impressed, he'd somehow put this all together and she'd never known a thing.

"Klaus, you ready?" Caroline asked, upon seeing that Klaus had taken to glaring at Henrik. When he didn't appear to have heard her, she slapped his shoulder to gain his attention. "We've leaving, if you like Henrik can take me to dinner while you go to Vivi's?"

This snapped Klaus out of whatever he was thinking. "No love, I'd dare not give up the chance to spend some alone time with you," Klaus answered with a smirk.

Together the three of them along with Red walked down to the village to Vivi's house. After a quick talk with Layla, Vivi's mom, Klaus, and Caroline walked further down to where Vinny's was located.

'Vinny's' was Caroline's favorite restaurant and she was looking forward to a night there. Vinny was an aged old man, well into his 80's, but he still had a kick to his step and loved nothing more than to hear Caroline's tales of the world. The moment they walked into the restaurant, Vinny was there to greet them.

"Caroline!" Vinny called coming to meet her at the check-in desk. "My friend, it's been so long, where is the little man himself?" Vinny asked, his dark eye's roaming around in hope of catching sight of Henrik.

"He's over at Vivi's," Caroline explained, Vinny also happened to be Vivi's grandfather.

"Oh?" Vinny said, looking down at the open book on the counter. "They have you down for a dinner for two." His white bushy eyebrow raised in question.

Caroline smiled, glancing back at Klaus who stepped up to stand beside her. "She shall be dinning with me tonight." Klaus offered, nodding to the man out of respect. Anyone Caroline considered a friend deserved Klaus's respect, and Klaus could see that the old man meant something to Caroline.

"Klaus Mikaelson," Klaus told Vinny, holding out his hand in greeting.

Vinny grasped the offered hand, but Klaus could tell that the man did not do it out of respect. "I know who are, and know this,"

"Vinny!" Caroline tried to interrupt.

"If any harm ever befalls Caroline or that boy, even the dog. My coven will stop at nothing until pay." Klaus could see how serious the threat was in the old man's eyes.

"I have no intention of ever hurting her," Klaus promised. Vinny seemed pleased by the answer.

"Then please, please come in and try are food. I pride myself on being the best in the area." Vinny said proudly as he walked them to their table.

Once they were seated and alone, Klaus eye's Caroline. "No matter where you go, you always seem to find people who will fight for your happiness," Klaus remarked.

Caroline looked up from her menu, her gaze startled. "There are many good people in the world, Nik. You just seem to run with the other crowd." She offered.

"You seem to offer them something that I'm not capable of giving to anyone but you, and my family."

This caught Caroline's attention. "Oh? And just what would that be?" She asked, leaning forward in her seat, prompting Klaus to do the same.

"Love, Caroline." He whispered it as if it were his greatest secret. "It is a weapon that I can't allow anyone to have over me." He confessed.

"And yet you love me."

"I do, I love you with all my heart, Caroline." Her breath hitched. "You know," He said sitting back. "They tell tales of the woman who Klaus Mikaelson loves."

Caroline sat back with a laugh, yet she was intrigued. "And what do they say about this woman?"

Klaus's gaze was sharp, his eye's which Caroline loved glowed in the candle light, much like they had done when they had sat at the fire all those years ago.

"She is a woman to which no one else can compare, her beauty knows no bounds, her heart is as pure as snow and she woman to whom I have given my heart." Klaus watched her closely, her blue eye's shined brightly at him from across the table. She was biting her lower lips, and Klaus wished for nothing more to pull her lip into his own mouth and suck it until the teeth marks left the pump red lip.

"If she was to offer you her heart in return?" Caroline spoke softly.

Klaus's gaze hardened, within seconds he had flashed them from the restaurant. They now stood on the hill near the house, but Caroline never once looked away from him. "If you give it to me, know this, I will let nothing come between us, we will be together always if you are really offering it to me?"

"My heart has always belonged to you." Caroline sore, moving so that they were pressed up against one another.

Klaus smiled then, and Caroline sore that she had never seen him look so happy before. His whole face seemed to light up, and his eye's glowed in the moonlight.

They both knew it was coming, they shared a sly look before Klaus pulled face closer so their lips could meet and for the first time in forever, Caroline was completely focused on the present. For Caroline, this kiss was the promise of their future together, their forever.

* * *

**Kol ending up next.**


	21. Chapter 21

_**Bonus Kol Chapter** _

* * *

Kol gazed out at the city which lay below him. Upon Eve telling him of the vision she had seen, he had not at first believed her. It wasn't until the others began ringing from places across the world did he begin to hope, that maybe she had come back.

He set out with Eve, meeting up with Nat, Charlie and Annie, who happened to be nearer to Caroline's location then anyone else. They had all agreed that they would not wait around for Jesha and Victor to catch up with them, because already the had wasted enough time. There was a moment where Kol thought to contact Klaus, but he decided against it.

Together, they had all travelled to the island by boat, Jesha and Victor choosing to fly in by plane at a later time. It was when the island came into view, did he begin to hope. Would she be there? Was waiting for them? Or had all this been some magic trick?

Upon setting foot on the island he flashed to the cave where he knew Caroline had laid, he stopped just outside. His eye's trying to see into the darkness. Of course it was useless, for Caroline was some distance within, and he'd never see her from the entrance.

He heard the others come to a stop behind him, and it was only when it was done did he venture forward. Into the darkness he went, his heart leading him to where he had laid her and where it is the others had visions of her awaking.

Outside, Eve held onto Annie's hand. It had been some time since the two had been together, Annie came and went with the wind. Right now, Annie was the one she drew strength from, because she did not think she could go through losing Caroline all over again.

Suddenly the silence was broken by the sound of a phone ringing. Nat looked at the caller id on his phone to see that it was Jesha phoning.

"Of course you'd pick now of all time to ring." He answered, not giving her a moment to speak.

"It's Caroline!" She shouted, catching all of their attention, it was also at this moment that Kol emerged from the Cave.

"What!" Nat whispered, in return, his eye's focusing solely on Kol.

"I meet up with a witch who did a locator spell, Caroline's alive and she's on the move." Victors awestruck voice echoed from the phone.

"I want coordinates and I want them now." Kol said, grabbing the phone and heading back towards the boat. Caroline was alive, somehow she had come back. This was there second chance, and he would not let it go to waste.

* * *

For years he had tracked her across the world until one day, she vanished and no witch could locate her. No trace of her remain, it was as if she had never existed. Caroline had many witch friends all of which Kol contacted in hopes of them finding her, but not even the oldest of witches could see where Caroline had gone. The seer which had helped save kol's life years ago, could not even see Caroline in any of her visions.

Almost 20 years had passed him by, and still no sign of Caroline. He felt Eve come to stand behind him,they were in Greece, standing on a private owned beach, a place Caroline and him had spent some very enjoyable summers.

"Maybe she's not ready to be found yet." Eve offered, wiggling her toes at the feel of the cold water against her. She was Kol's constant companion and thou she would not have known him well before, she knew him better then most now. Although Eve was sure that no one other then Caroline could truly understand the enigma that was Kol Mikaelson.

Kol, who is silent doesn't take his gaze from the setting sun as he answers Eve. "I think it's time to stop, Eve."

Eve tilts her head, she is confused as to what he is speaking about so she voices her concern. "I don't understand what you mean?"

Kol turns to face the girl who has followed him since Caroline died on the island. "It's time to stop searching, Eve."

Her brows pull down into a frown as her hair blows with the salty breeze from the sea, her white dress billows out around her. "We can't stop searching, Kol. It's Caroline were talking about."

"Caroline doesn't want to be found Eve. I love Caroline and if the reason she's hiding is because she doesn't love me back, then I have to accept that and let her go." It broke his heart to say, but he loved enough that he would set her free if that was what she wanted, and that seemed to be the case. She not shown herself to any of her sire line, and all the witches she'd known no longer wished to help in finding her.

"Your wrong!" Eve cried, clenching her tiny hands at her side. "Caroline loves you, I know it." She cried. " She loves me, Annie, Nat, Charlie, Jesha and Victor. It's not just you Kol, Caroline loves all of us and she's going to come back some day."

"I think its time that I went it alone." Eve froze, and had she been able to see, she would have looked at Kol in utter horror at what he was suggesting. "It's not fair on you Eve, the others are off exploring the world and you've been stuck living in a temple these last few years."

"I don't care, Caroline told me to stay with you." Eve cried in defiance.

Kol was holding her face in his hand then and Eve could only stand still in shock. Kol was never the type to offer comfort, even when Caroline had died, he'd shut her out and had stored all his pain away to be shown to no one. "I'm telling you your free Eve." Kol said, his voice carrying a softness Eve had never heard him use before. "This is the way its going to be, I've already contacted Annie. She's waiting back at the house for you."

"No!" Tiny hands reached forward to cling to Kol much like a child would do to their parent, but Kol wasn't her father., he'd never tried to be. It was clear to them all that Kol only stayed around because they meant something to Caroline, but now with Caroline in hiding, they all were just a painful reminding that the woman he loved didn't want him back.

Kol had explained this to the others, they had understood of course. Yet Eve, he knew would not likely want to part. Eve was the hardest to be around, for she was Caroline first and for many years had never left Caroline's side. Eve was a constant reminder, and Kol thought that it best to leave now. The only way for Eve to understand was to be completely honest with her and that was going to be the hardest part of their goodbye.

"You can't understand how much pain I'm in when I'm with you." Eve's breath hitched. "Your a reminder of everything I had and everything I've lost." Kol moved away and Eve's hands fell lifelessly to her side. "Every time we laugh I hear an echo of Caroline laugh along side us and that hurts, more then I thought it would. Eve, please it's not goodbye forever, its just I need to start living life alone again."

"I hear her laugh too," Eve revealed. "I know that everything happens for a reason, but sometimes I wish I knew what that reason was!"

Kol sighed. "I wish I had an answer for you Kid, but I don't."

"We'll meet again?" She questioned, knowing that this would be where they parted ways.

"Promise." Was Kol's answer, before he flashed away leaving Eve stood on the beach alone.

"Caroline," Eve spoke hoping the wind somehow carried her words to person her words belong too. "I do not mind if I do not see you for another 100 years, but Kol can't last that long. Please, before he does something stupid."

* * *

Being on his own wasn't what he had been expecting. For one, he'd never been truly alone before, he always had Caroline or been with his family. His family were all separated now, Klaus god knows where, Rebekah was off with Enzo living life on the go and Elijah had been not seen or heard of since he'd taken his leave on the island.

Alone and without Caroline to keep him in check, he soon fell back into his old way of life. He had once been know as the worst being to walk the earth, far worse then Klaus had ever been. People to this day still feared him, and they were right to do. He was once more a monster, who carved nothing but blood and mayhem.

All the goodness that Caroline had once seen in him was no more, he given up, lost the battle. For had there really been any chance for him? He didn't know. He knew that Caroline loved him, different to how she loved Henrik, yet he believed the love they had shared had meant something, that didn't seem to be the case now.

Caroline had disappeared into the wind, had severed all connections to her old life and those she had chosen to stay in contact with, would not reveal where she was, or why she was hiding.

Caroline haunted his every second, everything reminded him of her, and Kol knew of only one escape.

"Your kind is not welcome here!" The witch before him hissed as he stood on her pouch. Clever little thing knew not to venture outside, but that would not stop Kol from getting what he wanted.

"Where is the old one?"

The girl tensed, her dark eye's narrowing in distrust. "She is not here, so if that's all you came for, I'm afraid we are of no help to you."

Kol ignored her. Witches, while they may be fun sometimes, this was not one of those times. "I know your in there, and if you don't give me what I want, I'll burn this house and everyone inside it down." No sooner had he spoke, did a fragile old lady appear, but Kol knew this was just a disguise. "Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

Lionella was a witch well known to kol, for they had met a number of times throughout her life. It came as no surprise to Kol, that she would not want to meet with him, but she didn't have a choice, it was her power that Kol would need if he was to obtain what he wanted.

"I have already told the others who have come to my door, that my powers are not in finding people, so I suggest you look else were," Lionella advised as she motioned for the younger witch to retreat back into the house.

Kol grinned, taking her by surprise, as she shifted slightly away from him. "I don't need you find anyone for me, what I  need of you, is to find a object for me, one I'm not sure even you will be able to find."

"Caroline hid this object!" She stated, knowing that if Caroline hid it, that there was a good chance that not even she, who had the power to find all objects, would be able to locate the object that Kol sought. After a few seconds of thinking she finally decided that Kol would not leave unless she tried at least to find what he was looking for, yet in a way she felt as if she were betraying Caroline by finding what she had hid. "I will try to find what you seek, but not inside the house, we shall use the table in the back garden." She informed him, and before she could even turn away to go back inside to gather the maps, he'd gone in flash leaving no sign that he'd been standing there at all.

After having gathered all the maps she owned, for one could never know where it was the would find what they were looking for, she preceded into the back garden, where Kol had made himself comfortable by sitting one of the chairs, while placing his feet on the table, with his hands behind his head, he looked very much like a modern day boy, yet she knew other wise. Lionella knew that without Caroline, Kol was someone to be feared.

She waited for him to move his feet from the table, yet he just continued to look at her, clearly waiting for something. She sighed, she never did like dealing with Kol, at least not when he was apart from Caroline. "I can't find what your looking for unless I spread the map." Her tone made it perfectly clear that she wanted him gone, sooner, rather the later.

With a click of his tongue, he removed his feet and stood, watching her closely as she spread the world map across the table. "It's somewhere in America." He supplied, opening up the map with the label USA on it. He opened the map and spread it on the table much quicker then she could ever do, and now the hard bit began.

Finding objects was not at all like finding people, she did not need blood or a link to the person, no, what she need was to be able to visualise the object that was lost and from there it was much like finding a person.

She looked at him, the boy whom at one time as a young girl she had fawned over, he was still as handsome as ever, but he was no longer the boy she'd seen laugh in this very garden almost 70 years ago. It went against her nature to help vampires, but Caroline had been good to her coven and Kol had come with Caroline, though she may not have liked him, she would do him this favour.

"Show me." She said, turning so that her body faced him, Kol then stepped forward and grasped her face in his hands, it was then that the image appeared in her mind. She had not flinched before, but when the image became clear she flinched away from his touch. She knew something had looked off about him, and now she knew.

"You seek death." Never before had she ever pitied a vampire, but with him standing here before her, she could feel nothing else but pity for Kol. Taking a dagger from her belt, she cut across her hand and allowed her blood to drop onto the map, then closing her eye's she let her magic take affect.

Flashing of many different places flashed in her mind, and until finally she saw the place. "There is forest, there stands a lone cabin, a pile of rocks, it is there that you shall find what you seek." Lionella told, and when she opened her eye's she found that she was alone.

* * *

"I'm gonna miss you." Caroline said, smiling sadly knowing that they would be parting ways for some time. "And you call me if Klaus gives you any kind of trouble."

Henrik laughed. "Caroline, I'll be fine. I know I don't remember my past life, but I this is something I need to do." He reassured her. "Besides, I'm sure I don't want to be anywhere near where you and Kol are when you reunite." He said, causing Caroline to blush red.

"Your a thousand years too young to be talking about that kind of thing." She said, turning to see the plane was now ready and waiting to go at any time. "Besides, I'm not sure what will happen when we meet up."

Hand on her chin he turned her face back towards him. "You don't know that, you love him Caroline and I've never known you to give up on love before, I'm proof." Caroline looked into the face that was much like Kol's, the two had always looked alike, but Henrik was right, she had loved Henrik enough to die for him and that love had never been the romantic kind.

She had loved Henrik from the very beginning, he was everything she wasn't, the other part of her soul, but Kol, Kol had been something else. She loved Henrik, but it was Kol she was in love with and they were two very different things.

"You're okay with this?" She asked.

"Would I be sending you off if I wasn't? I could never stand in your way knowing that you love him, and me going to Nik, might lessen the blow of you choosing Kol over him." Henrik grinned once more.

Caroline took in his appearance, at 20, he looked more like Kol then he did any of his other siblings and she couldn't help but smile. Henrik was a man now, he'd never again be the boy she'd once known all those life times ago. He asked for her to share his past with him, and had then chosen to turn so as to spend the rest of eternity with them.

Th sound of her phone ringing pulled her attention back, and checking to see who could be calling, she was shocked to find a number not listed in her phone, but it was a number she would never forget.

"Dora, to what to do I owe this honor?" Caroline answered, a smile appearing on her face as she spoke to her old friend.

"Caroline, It's Kol." At once Caroline felt her mind race, there could be only one reason Dora would contact, the reason beginning that she had once more seen Kol's death.

"Where?" She whispered, her eye's looking into deep browns, as Henrik stared back in confusion.

* * *

There could only be one place that she could have hidden it, the place where they had spent their last days together, before everything had gone wrong, before he had lost the one person who truly mattered to him. The place where they had lived and been most happy, were they had been alone with their dog, without worry of the outside world.

Kol was walking slowly threw the woods, he wasn't in a rush, wishing to remember some of the good times he had experienced in his life, before it would end. He knew the other side would be lonely life, but at least he could watch over Caroline and see her living out her life, or at least he hoped he would.

The rocks the witch had spoken of were the grave marker of Red, the Dog he had given Caroline. How incredibly stupid he felt, not having thought to look there himself.

As he got nearer and nearer, the fear of death clawed at the edges of his mind, but there was nothing worse then loving someone, that you couldn't have, but he shouldn't, after all he'd been the one to let her go. It wasn't right for him to chase her, but his heart did nothing but call out for her, and the only way for him to let her be free was for him to end his life.

The cabin was in view now, just beyond the trees. Beams of light streamed threw the trees, it reminded him of the time they had found this place. Caroline had looked and seen how the light shone and had wanted to build a cabin here, somewhere they could escape too. She called it their fairytale home, and it had been.

Walking into the clearing he let himself gaze at the cabin, he couldn't bring himself to go inside, no, not when the last time he'd been inside had been such a happy memory. The last time he'd been happy had been inside that cabin, he danced with Caroline in his arms and if he was to die, here was the place to end his life.

Kneeling before the pile of rock he began to move them one by one, until finally, the stake was laid out before him. Placing it on the grass he put the rocks back just as they had been, a little bit of Caroline that had rubbed off on him.

Once he had fixed it make to how it had been, he stood taking the stake with him and walked the short distance so that he stood directly under the sun light. He looked at the stake in his hands, in line with his heart to end his life in a matter of seconds. Closing his eye's he thought of Caroline as he pulled the stake towards him.

He was suddenly thrown across the clearing, the stake sent soaring from his hand. He was back on his feet within a second of landing, but froze upon sight of what had thrown him. "Caroline!" Caroline was standing before him and she looked enraged. Her hair was completely out of place and there was mud splattered across her clothes, it seemed she been running at quite a speed to have thrown him so far. "Why have you come?"

"I've come home." She answered, staring at him intently, her eye's flickered off somewhere behind him, mostly likely where the stake had landed.

"So you've come home, have you?" Kol asked, unable to hid the hurt in his voice. She comes back to the cabin, and here he had thought that maybe it was him. "Well then, I'll just take the stake and be off."

"And where do you think you're going?" She questioned, shouting the words at him as he turned his back on her.

"I'm leaving, after all, you've made it clear that you no longer want me." He stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I said, I'd come home." She called and at this he turned to face her. She was beautiful, still the only woman that could make his heart race, still the only person he could say he had ever truly loved. "This is home." She said, yet he was still unsure of what she meant.

"I don't understand," Kol said, shaking his head.

She smiled and began walking toward him. "This is home, right here," She stopped in front of him and lifted her hand the place it upon his chest, right over his heart. "Where I am with you." He couldn't move, this was not what he had imagined this going and yet it was so much more. "I left you once, but I shall never leave you again," Caroline promised.

Kol couldn't believe it, he thought that maybe she was there at all, maybe a dream? But the hand against his chest told him otherwise. Caroline had come back for him.

"No," He suddenly moved away from her. "You'd never come back for me, you'd never leave Henrik, so why are you really here?"

"Henrik came back, it's why I've been hiding," She smiled slightly, just the tiny lift at the corner of her mouth. "He doesn't remember anything about his past, but he's back."

"Where is he?"

"With Nik, he knows about us, he wants me to be happy and he knows that I need you for that."

"With Nik?"

"To try to lessen the blow that it wasn't him I chose because it's you," She took a step towards him. "Its been you since the moment you came for me all those years ago. I love you Kol, and this time around I swear to you, nothing will come between us." She placed her hand over her own heart.

"Forever?"

"Forever." She promised taking another step towards him.

This was it, wanted he'd wanted of her all along, she was now giving him and he would be a mad man to turn her away. "No more going are separate ways when Nik gets to close, no more hiding in the shadows, this time around, its you and me." He said closing the gap between them.

"You and me." She smiled.

He stood there looking at her, Caroline, the girl who'd always held his heart. He loved her, more than anything. "I believe you owe me an adventure." He leaned in close, their lips brushing.

"I've never broken a promise." With those words he kissed her, knowing that this time around, nothing would stand in their way and that nothing would ever take her from him again. Finally, the girl he loved was back at is side and he would never allow them to part again.


End file.
